Blood Man Luffy
by Dslayernitro
Summary: Let's ask a what if question. What if Luffy didn't eat the Gum Gum Fruit? What if instead he ate a powerful Logia capable of affecting every living thing on the planet at virtually any time. That is the premise for this story. Luffy ate the powerful Chi Chi no Mi, and can now manipulate blood. Smarter, Stronger, Logia Luffy. Luffy x Harem.
1. A Blood Man is Born

Hello everyone! Time once more for a new story! This one is far from replacing my other two, but I thought to tease you all by adding this to my list. The first Different Devil Fruit story I've ever attempted. I know I blaze through the first arc in this one chapter, but it is exceedingly long and the first people Luffy fight are in no way a match for any Logia, especially his. Now if it sounds like this fruit is far too powerful, or at least that I've made it seem that way, consider the power of some others. They have been underrated in canon, but I will not be holding back on the power in this story. Though you still need to fully understand how powerful you are before you can be a true menace. But back to the star, Luffy. Everyone loves our gullible, rubber brained captain, but it's time for a change. (Yes I'm giving this little speech) Luffy will not quite be himself. He'll be a bit cruel, more ruthless, and increasingly bloodthirsty. There's good reason for this, he's a Blood Man. He'll also be OP, but he's a Logia so that's to be expected. There's my OOC warning. Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece.

* * *

Devil Fruits. Their power can be a parlor trick or world shattering forces of nature. One can turn into a Bird and soar above the clouds, or crack the very sky and rock the planet. This jumbled bag has raised many questions about their origins, but no one has a finite answer. The commonly accepted answer is the Sea Devil bore these powerful creations into existence. They were his protected creations. The punishment for anyone who eats one is banishment from the sea. Cursed to never enter his kingdom.

The most interesting and supposedly powerful of these fruits are the Logia class. These fruits allow the person who eats them to control a part of the world as they see fit. One may turn their body to fire and control all fire around them. This immense power can make a logia user feel invincible, but this is far from the truth. The Sea Devil has still banished all Devil Fruit Users from his kingdom in any and all forms. Seastone, another creation born from his power, was his way to punish those who were clever enough to avoid his domain. It can negate the effects of the fruit, but not entirely.

One known fruit is able to completely negate any other power. The Yami Yami no Mi. The power of darkness is capable of crushing the very power of Devil Fruits themselves. The Sea Devil made it with extreme care. It was a force to be reckoned with. There was one however that could match its terrifying presence, the Chi Chi no Mi. While the Yami Yami no Mi can control darkness, and to an extent by this force gravity, it can only negate powers through direct contact. Forcing all the power out of the user. The Chi Chi no Mi did not need direct contact, it could negate these abilities by preventing a Logia from transforming in the first place. The Sea Devil released it to the world when he believed it would have the utmost effect. He had not failed. The resurgence of this fruit brought about new ages in human history, and he believed it was time for it to be born anew.

* * *

Luffy frowned at the sight of Shanks cleaning up a mess that damn Higuma made. Shanks could have defeated him with one arm! Maybe he wasn't as great as he thought. Yet he still wouldn't let him join? He huffed as he gulped down his juice and slumped up on the counter. He'd show Shanks! He was going to be more powerful than him! Luffy sighed as he rubbed his stomach. First, he was hungry. He tried to get Makino's attention, but she was preoccupied with helping clean up. He reached in the chest on the counter. If Shanks was going to mock him, he'd eat his dessert. It was a large, deep red fruit with patterns reminiscent of tear drops. Or drops of blood of this case.

Shanks took a big swig from the bottle before he thanked Makino. Giving him her last bottle was just like her. He turned to try and apologize to Luffy before his eyes widened. He grabbed Luffy and started shaking him violently. "Luffy! Spit it out! Spit it out!" But it was too late, Luffy had just swallowed.

"Blah! Shanks! Why did you have such a shitty tasting fruit?!" Luffy cried as he started to scratch at his tongue. Longing for a time when he didn't taste the fruit. It tasted like he cut open his tongue but couldn't spit out the pooling blood.

"Dammit Luffy! That wasn't an ordinary fruit! That was a Devil Fruit Luffy!" Shanks cried out, attracting the attention of his crew. "You don't even know what kind it was! It could be completely useless! What's worse, the sea curses you for eating it! You'll never be able to swim!"

Luffy froze in fear before he started to cry. He'd never be a pirate now! How could he if he couldn't swim?! He looked back up to Shanks and his friends, only to see the look of anger gone. Shanks had pulled back as he held the boy. Makino recoiled in fear and everyone else covered their mouths. Luffy wiped his tears then looked at his hands, they were dripping blood. "S-shanks...why am I bleeding?" Luffy asked as blood spilled from his eyes, replacing his tears.

Shanks had turned ghostly pale. What had he done? Was Luffy going to die from this accursed fruit? Was it his fault? If he only locked the chest, or kept it on the ship. Luffy started crying again and Shanks sprung to action. "Luffy, you're going to be okay. Listen to me. Listen to me! Focus on any new feelings. Don't be sad. What can you-"

Luffy suddenly slipped through Shank's hands, replaced by a mass of blood. His eyes widened into giant saucers as he felt his stomach contract and threaten to expel its contents. Had Luffy already eaten one?! "Luffy!" He yelled as he jumped up, looking around to his crew. They were in equal state of shock. Their young friend just became a bloody stain on the floor. Makino was in tears as before a voice spoke out. "Don't cry! I just focused on the new feeling!"

They all looked back as Luffy reformed out of the pool of blood. The blood left Shank's hands and formed back into the boy, who sat on the stool. "That was cool! I felt like a puddle!" He yelled in astonishment as he held out his hand, watching it turn to blood that suspended in air.

"What the hell was that?!" Shanks yelled as he stared at Luffy. "Did you just turn into blood?!" He yelled out as his fear was replaced with anger. "You scared the shit out of us!"

"Shishishi! Got you than Shanks!" Luffy responded innocently. He was too used to this already…

Shanks took a few deep breaths. "Oh thank god...Luffy. Don't...Don't do that again okay? Not for now..." He gripped his stomach and sat down, sighing as he took another swig. "I think we can guess your power Luffy. You can turn your entire body into blood." Shanks said, hiding his true thoughts. 'He ate a damn logia! Of all the damn fruits it was that one, what next?! Would he stumble upon a Mythic Zoan and give it to a toddler?!' "Luffy..that makes you… A bloody fool!" He said, laughing as he returned to his normal self. He wouldn't allow the dread inside him to show in front of everyone. He didn't trust Devil Fruits, especially not this one. If even one iota of information about it was true, he couldn't show it.

"That was worse than the taste." Luffy muttered, leaving the bar and charging off. He was going to prove Shanks wrong somehow. But first, he wanted to try out this new power.

* * *

"Shanks! Luffy needs help! Higuma's back!" A man yelled at the Red Haired Shanks. Shanks sprung to his feet and ordered his men to follow. He could let the drinks and mess go, but not attacking Luffy.

"Please, spare the boy! We'll pay for his safety! Anything, just don't hurt the boy!" Woopslap pleaded as he saw the sword held to Luffy's throat, causing some blood to spill and reform. Higuma hardly noticed however, milking in the fear from the crowd who didn't fully understand Luffy's power.

Higuma could only laugh at the pleas. This boy was so weak. Every hit made blood fly and he couldn't fight back. "Not a chance! This brat is going to pay!"

Shanks calmly ahead of the crowd. There was no chance this actually hurt Luffy. From what he knew about Logias, nothing could hurt them outside of Seastone, and mountain bandits didn't have that in large supply. "Tsk tsk tsk. You really are a bloody fool, aren't you?" Shanks asked the boy while smiling. Luffy brightened up when he saw him, maybe he did know he wasn't in any real danger? "So, why are you attacking him?"

"Because this little-"

"Shut up. Luffy, why did you attack him?" Shanks asked, angering the bandit.

"He came back and mocked you Shanks! I wasn't going to let him get away with it!" Luffy yelled back, voice filled with anger at the bandit.

"Is that so? Fighting our battles for us?" Shanks asked, amused by his efforts to protect his name.

"Will you both shut up?! I'm tired of this!" Higuma said, drawing back his sword.

"Hey Luffy, think you can finish this battle yourself?" Shanks asked with a smirk, there was a man holding Luffy still for the apparent decapitation.

"I. I think so." Luffy said as he closed his eyes and made a fist.

"Good. Because I want to see your punch. Strong as a pistol, right?" Shanks asked him with a bit of a smile. Making Luffy do the same at the joy in his voice.

"You pirates are fucking insane! I've had it!" Higuma yelled as swung his sword, cleaving straight through the boys neck in a spray of blood. Higuma started laughing as he looked back at the crowd. "You're all pathetic! You won't even fight to save a child!"

"No, we won't fight to save you from a child." Shanks replied smugly as he pointed to Luffy, who formed his head back to his body.

"M-monster!" One of Higuma's men yelled as he let go of the boy.

"Chi Chi Pistol!" Luffy yelled as he launched a bloody fist to the man's face. He learned that he could send blood with his punches to hit further away. Plus it looked so cool!

"Shoot this brat!" Higuma yelled as he pulled out his pistol. He fired into the boy and watched it pass right through him.

Luffy wasn't exceedingly strong, but his fists did damage. The real hit was the fear that they pissed off an immortal monster made of blood. Shanks enjoyed the fight, leaving only Higuma left conscious. The others were either too weak in mind or body to deal with the boy. "Okay Luffy, let's." Shanks froze as Luffy leaped at the man, biting into his shoulder.

"Dammit! That hurt you… You damn..." The man started to stumble before looking at the wound. It was spewing out blood at a much greater rate than it should have. It was as if he hit a main artery. He looked back at the boy, who had his hand out and was forcing the blood into his hand.

"Chi Chi Theft!" He yelled out as he robbed the man of his blood, making him collapse to his knees. Luffy grew a little taller from the added mass of blood, but only enough to be taller than the kneeling man. He tried to look up, but fell forward on his face as he passed out from blood loss, which Luffy enjoyed from the stronger feeling.

There was a long silence as Luffy stood above the dead bandit. He broke it when he turned to Shanks. "That was so cool! Did you see how awesome I was?!" Luffy yelled as took a fighting stance. "I gave him a Right! Then a Left!" He said, mimicking a boxer.

Shanks was the first to push past the fact that Luffy, a seven year old, killed a man. "That was great Luffy! Though you're still weak, anchor." He said, rubbing the boy's head and messing up his hair. Luffy groaned and kicked the dirt.

"I'll never be a pirate now...I can't swim." He said, looking at his feet.

"Oh shut up. You can be anything you want. Just practice with that power of yours and try not to fall in the sea." He said, cheering up the bloody fool.

"Thanks Shanks! So I'm going to join your crew!"

"Except that." Shanks said with a smile, crushing the boy's dreams.

"Than I'm going to be Captain of my own crew! Then I'll become King of the Pirates!" Luffy yelled back defiantly. He saw Shank's warm smile as he took off his hat and placed it on his head.

"If you really mean that, hang onto this for me. It's my most prized possession, and you can give it back when you become Pirate King." Shanks said, tilting it down so he didn't have to see the boy cry.

* * *

Ten Years passed before Luffy's eyes. He had trained hard with his power. He had discovered a powerful skill he wish he knew years ago. He could manipulate the blood inside someone else without drawing a wound. He didn't practice on people, at least he didn't tell anyone as he made people slap themselves or kick each other in the shin. He had practiced on the wild animals in the woods mostly, stopping birds mid flight and bears mid run.

"Goodbye everyone! I'll see you all again!" He called as he waved. Everyone waved back, until they started shouting and pointing. Luffy smiled and turned. Seeing the Lord of the Coast emerge from the water. Luffy rubbed his head. "Never tried this on a big guy like you..." Luffy said as he stuck out both arms. "I gotta try… Chi Chi Puppet!"

The Sea King was mid strike before it froze. Locked in place from the inside. It stared at the moving meal with a mix of hunger and fear. Why couldn't he eat it?

"Chi Chi Tear!" Luffy yelled, moving his arms away from each other and tearing the Sea King's blood from it's veins. It roared in pain and sunk down in the sea, injured.

"That...was exhausting." Luffy said as he sat down. "I gotta practice on those things more… That was a lot of power.." He said with a smile as he looked out at the blood soaked portion of the sea. "What a waste of good blood..."

* * *

Some time later on the boat of the Alvida Pirates.

"Coby, why aren't you sharing the spoils with us?" A wide built pirate asked as he cracked his knuckles. "Aren't we your crew?" He asked mockingly as he shoved him out of the way.

"Y-yes. Sorry. I was just trying to load it up for you."

"You're so kind. Now shut the hell up so we can enjoy ourselves." He barked out as he started to crack it open. He turned his head and proceeded to cough up. "Good god that's disgusting!"

The other two peeked in the barrel and promptly followed. Coby tip toed over to peek inside, then ran in the corner to throw up.

"Why would someone ship a barrel full of blood?! What kind of sick fucks?!" He was stopped as the blood started to rise up and form in front of them. Coby, thankfully, was still throwing up in the corner and spared the frightening show.

"What the hell is this thing!" A pirate yelled as he sliced at the body, only to have his sword pass through coated in blood, no harm done.

"Monkey D. Luffy, future Pirate King." The boy said as he formed his head. He punched the two men to his sides and stared at the one with a sword drawn in front of him. The blood on his sword started to creep down the blade and wrapped around his hand.

"Think you could spare a pint?" He asked with a smile as he punctured the skin with a quick spike of blood. "We seem to be the same type." Luffy said with a smile as he started to rob the man of his blood, keeping his promise of a mere pint. "Mmm. Thanks." He said as he pushed the weak man down.

"Hey, you!" Luffy yelled as he walked towards the pink haired boy in the corner. "Where's the food?" He asked as he turned him around.

"I-in there." Coby said weakly at the sight of the beaten pirates. One was even conscious, but wouldn't dare stand.

"Thanks! So what's your name?" Luffy asked as he started marching towards the food. The boy followed closely behind.

"Coby, sir. Who're you?" He asked as they entered the food stores.

"Aww. You really missed my big declaration?" He asked, getting a nod from Coby. "Oh. Well I'm Monkey D. Luffy, I'm gonna be King of the Pirates" he said proudly before tearing into the barrel for food.

"But. You can't just be Pirate King! That's the title given to the most powerful pirate in the world! You can't" Coby stopped as Luffy's forearm turned to blood and his fist launched at his head.

"Ow..." He said as he wiped the blood from his forehead, though it wasn't his. "What was that for?"

"I felt like it. And you insulted my dream. I know its not an easy thing to do. What's the point of having a goal if it's easy to reach?" Luffy asked as he turned from the barrel. "What's your dream?"

"I. I want to be a Marine Admiral" Coby said back. He couldn't tell if he feared the boy in front of him more than Alvida, but at least he'd kill him quicker than her.

"Than why are you on a pirate ship?" Luffy asked with a puzzled face.

"I thought it was a fishing boat..." Coby said as he averted his eyes, feeling the berating coming on.

"Huh. That's pretty dumb, but kinda funny!" Luffy laughed as he jumped on the barrel to sit. "So, an Admiral huh? Guess that means we'd be enemies."

"Yeah I guess so... But it's my dream. I want to put people like Alvida away!" At the yell, there was a large crash from above them as a large woman(?) dropped down.

"Coby! Were you talking about me?!" A not-so-feminine voice asked from the crater. Luffy took the chance and grabbed Coby, running from the room and upstairs.

"This sea is so dangerous! Whales can talk!" Luffy yelled between pants as he leaned against a wall, much to the surprise of the awaiting pirates.

"D-don't insult Lady Alvida like that!" One yelled as he charged the intruder. His sword was narrowly dodged by the man.

"That was a lady?! Coby! What kind of fish person are you working for?!" He asked, earning himself another swing from an angry pirate.

"Shut up! You'll get us killed!" He yelled before the ground shook from under him. Lady Alvida climbed the stairs with anger in her eyes.

"Kill this pest!" She ordered, causing everyone to charge the man. He smiled and decided to try a trick.

"Chi Chi Face" He said to himself as he let blood pour from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. He outstretched his arms and walked towards the charging men. "Help...Me..." He said in a distorted voice, coughing up blood.

The pirates froze in fear at the apparently diseased man before them. He coughed up blood, making them back away to avoid what he had. "L-lady Alvida. He's sick! He's going to die anyway!" One yelled as he fell and kicked the ground, backing away.

"I'm not going to die." The boy said as blood poured from his mouth. It all stopped mid air and he smiled. "I am Death." The blood stopped flowing, except from his eyes. The men looked back at Alvida, then at the monster before them. They quickly ran and jumped in the sea, swimming away from the boat.

"You damned brat!" Alvida yelled as she swung her club, causing the boy to explode in blood all around. She laughed as she turned back to Coby. "That makes you the only crew member. At least until I crush your skull in for helping that brat!" She said as she hoisted her club. As she went to swing she found it was stuck. With a look she saw her wrist wrapped in blood and her club void of any. "What the hell?!"

"That could've hurt you know." A familiar voice said as the blood pierced her skin. "Type A, interesting." Luffy said as he allowed blood to pool down on the ground from her wound. "I'm type B, want a shot of mine?" He asked with a smile as fear filled her eyes. The injection would make her deathly ill. "No? Than goodbye, you fat whale." He said as he drew back his fist. "Chi Chi Pistol!" He yelled as he launched his bloody fist into her stomach. She launched up and flew into the distance. "Huh...What is that twinkle? Are they going to space? That'd be cool..." Luffy said as he walked over to Coby. "Hey, let's go. I'm making you a marine." He said as he snatched up the frightened boy. "Where are the escape boats? I don't like this ship."

* * *

The two sailed towards the island for some time, chatting about how long Coby was on the ship, what he'd do when he was a marine, and what exactly this island was. Luffy could only smile at the mention of Roronoa Zoro, he sounded cool. Luffy jumped off the boat, excited, and drug Coby with him. "Come on! I want to find Zoro!" The mention of the name made people stop, and some start to cry. Luffy looked to them and cocked his head. "Hey...What's wrong with them?" He asked Coby, who shook his head in confusion. Luffy walked to a shop-keep and bought an apple. "Hey, do you know where Roronoa Zoro is?" Luffy asked as he bit into the apple.

"A damn shame it is..." The woman said with a twinge of resent. "He's about to be executed...Along with a little girl." Coby was in shock as Luffy finished off the apple. He thanked the woman and started walking towards the large building, which he figured had to be the marine one, with Coby hot on his heels.

"Why would the marines execute a little girl? How could Captain Morgan" With that, everyone cowered in fear. "Let...this...happen." Coby looked to see everyone and frowned. "They're scared of the marine Captain? Luffy why do you...Luffy!" Coby charged back up to the young captain. "What are you doing? You can't just attack the marines!" He begged as he grabbed his leg, trying to stop him by acting as an anchor.

"You can't, I'm going to save Zoro and that little girl. Then, he's going to join my crew!" Luffy yelled as he approached the gate.

"You're really an altruist aren't you Luffy?" Coby asked with a sweatdrop. He was going to save them to get a crew member?

"Hey shut up! I need a crew-mate. Besides, no way am I letting them execute a little girl." Luffy said as he squatted down and launched up to the wall. Everyone who knew the girl or her mother came to console her. She wouldn't leave her daughter to die alone, no matter how much it hurt to watch it. She and a green haired man in white shirt and black pants were tied to thick crucifixes. A row of marines with rifles stood roughly ten meters away. They were seemingly waiting for orders from the large, tan, blonde man with an ax for his right hand. He also had a weird metal bottom jaw that Luffy thought made him look like some kind of super villain.

"Men! We're here to execute two criminals! The man Roronoa Zoro, Pirate Hunter and swordsman. He assaulted my son's pet wolf, defying my name! The girl, Rika, assisted the man by supplying him food. This is an act of treason, and may not be tolerated! Men! Ready your rifles!" He ordered, causing them to shakily raise their guns to fire.

"Please no! She's only a child! This isn't fair! You're evil!" The crowd spit at the marines, taking safety in the form of crowd anonymity. The mother was in tears at the front, looking to her daughter. "It's okay Rika! You'll be alright soon..." She called to her crying daughter.

"Mommy! I'm scared! Help me!" The girl cried out, causing some tears to fall from the man beside her. "I'm sorry I got you into this...Let's hope their aim is true." He said as he looked towards the marines. "You bastards! She's no part of this!" Zoro yelled as the marines who wouldn't respond, only waiting for orders.

"Ready! Aim!" There was an eternal pause after the last word. The marines closed their eyes as they slowly squeezed the triggers. The crowd averted their eyes. Zoro yelled defiantly at them, which did nothing to cheer up poor Rika, who called out to her mother. Ax Hand Morgan smiled as he watched justice be served. "Fire!"

Luffy leaped towards them just as the order was called, sticking out both of his arms to save their lives. "Chi Chi Marionette!" He yelled, forcing the blood in their arms towards the sky. Their arms flew up as their fingers pulled the triggers, causing the bullets to fire harmlessly into the air. Luffy panted as he stared at them. Controlling multiple people was new, but he figured it would get easier. He didn't say a word as the marines started to reload. Preparing to force them all away again.

"Dammit! Kill this traitor for interrupting the execution!" Morgan yelled as he walked forward, staring with rage at the boy.

The men took aim and shook violently, arms burning from the feeling of blood moving against the normal flow. They stared in horror as he walked closer. "Chi Chi Rip!" He yelled as he forced the blood from their hands, exploding out towards him in a crimson spray. They fell to the ground after dropping their rifles, each finger squirting blood from the puncture wound and adding to the man's power. They were too focused on their mangled fingers to see him absorb their blood into his body and walk past them

"A Devil Fruit Eater... Men! Use your swords! He..." Morgan stopped as a shard of blood pierced his chest. The liquid projectile was launched so quickly it acted like a dagger. He tried to pull it out, but its strange nature turned it to blood at his grasp. Morgan gritted his teeth and stared at the boy who defied him. "He has to have a weakness!" Morgan yelled again as he grabbed his chest. The shard had buried much deeper than he thought, but luckily missed anything vital. "Find it dammit!"

Luffy walked slowly as the marines charged him. He drew more blood from the wounded men and launched it forward. "Chi Chi Blade!" He yelled, slicing open the stomachs of the charging men. They fell to ground and grasped at their wounds. His power only grew as he attacked more and more, drawing more blood from the terrified marines. The men were losing their morale by the second. Everything they through at him did nothing, and he was barely trying.

"Captain Morgan! We can't stop him! He's too power-" The marine couldn't finish his sentence before Ax Hand Morgan buried his famous ax in the man's skull, killing him instantly. He slung his arms and sent the man's body out towards the boy, who only absorbed the blood with a disgusting look on his face. "You'll all traitors for not following my orders! You better hope he kills you before I do!" Morgan yelled as he charged the lanky pest in front of him.

Luffy stopped dead as his let blood coat his eyes. It helped him focus on what he needed to do in the midst of a fight. He waited for Morgan to draw back before focusing on the blood on his blade. "Chi Chi Trap!" Luffy yelled as he dug the blood into his forearm and blade. The ax buried into the side of Luffy's face and cause Morgan to smile.

Everyone froze as the boy stood motionless in front of the monster of a man. The crowd was in shock that their savior could have brought down from a single swing of Morgan's ax. They really couldn't defy his power. Zoro could hardly breathe. This kid was putting his life on the line to save that little girl, and all for nothing. That bastard Morgan took him out.

"Looks like I need more practice." Luffy said as he moved his head, forming the side of his face back. The area changed to one of relief. Their savior was safe. "Chi Chi Crush!" He yelled, enraged with all he had seen. Morgan's blood acted as a solitary force and started pulling towards his heart, breaking bones and exploding arteries to take the quickest path it could. Most all of the damage was internal, leaving only Luffy and the dying man. Morgan cried out as Luffy crushed his heart with his immense volumes of blood. His insides were on fire from the burning sensation of liquid terror boring through his body. He ultimately fell in the dirt before him, blood pouring from his mouth as it searched for an escape.

Helmeppo was in utter shock. That monster showed up destroyed his life! It was flipped! Turned upside down! He pulled the flintlock he kept on him for safety, or rather to threaten people, and pointed it at the swordsman who started it all. "You killed my daddy!"

A blonde haired boy yelled from back from the crucifixes. He had a gun held to Zoro's head. "How dare you?! I'll...I" He suddenly fell over as Luffy held out his arm and clenched his fists.

"Chi Chi Rush." He said plainly as the boy fell. Blood rushed to and from his head so fast he passed out. It may cause some major injuries, but with that weird head it was nothing he was a stranger to.

Luffy looked towards the crowd and started to walk away, eager to get something to eat and regain his strength. Before he could leave the gates, the crowd rushed him. "All hail our savior! Mugiwara! Mugiwara!" They chanted as they hoisted him up. They never learned his name, so they had to go by the Straw Hat adorning his head. He was carried back into town and brought to restaurant owned by Rika's mother. "Drinks are on me!" A man yelled, making everyone rejoice. "You, Mugiwara. You're getting everything free!" He yelled, making the boy smile. "Give me meat!" He yelled in response, earning a hearty laugh from everyone. The boy had devoured two steaks before the green haired swordsman came in silently and sat by him.

"Hey...Thanks for saving the little girl." Zoro said, holding out on the thank you for saving his own skin. He didn't want to admit he owed the kid his life.

"If you really want to thank me, join my crew. I could use a swordsman, even if you do get tied up. Shishishi." He laughed as Zoro's face got a little angry.

"Yeah well...I don't see why not. Damn marines tried to kill me anyway. But I'm going to tell you something right now. If you get in the way of my dream, we will no longer be crew-mates. I will become the world's greatest swordsman."

Luffy only smiled back. "Good, because I'm going to be King of the Pirates!"


	2. Blood versus Clown

Hello again everyone! I'm glad to see that my side project has gotten so popular. While lacking in actual views, which I expected since it's only a day old, the positive reviews and overwhelming initial amounts of favorites and follows have prompted me to say this is a successful launch! Now, I'm absolutely terrible at spacing out the timing of when to post these stories, but I don't see a reason to leave people waiting if they give me such a great response. Besides, one chapter WIP stories don't hold too much promise to people. Don't expect the next one tomorrow, or even this week, but do expect it within the next week or so.

* * *

The wild party quickly took a sharp nose dive as the door opened. A small squadron of marines entered the room. It was the new acting officer and the uninjured marines left on the island. They numbered at nearly a dozen and looked worse off than the ones Luffy had fought. Spit and bruises were apparent on their arms, one even had what looked like shards of glass embedded in his side from a bottle thrown at him. They were undoubtedly hated for not standing up against Morgan. They had to wait for a pirate to barge in and tear out his insides before they could even act like he was doing anything wrong.

"We. We came to apologize. To you, stranger. You may be a pirate, but you saved this island. That being said…"

"Your heart is pounding." Luffy stated, not looking away from his plate as he finished the last bit of meat. "Are you scared I killed him to take over this town and rule it as a stepping stone on my way to becoming an evil warlord?" He asked in a serious tone, making the hearts of everyone in the room beat twice as fast. "I believe everyone here knows I could take on anything you could throw at me. The more of you I take down the more powerful you'll make me." Everyone started to sweat. It was true, none of them could stand up to this boy if he decided to do that. It would be their luck to lose a powerful tyrant and gain an unstoppable, bloodthirsty warlord. "But I don't wanna do that. Mayor stuff seems boring." He said, easing the tension with a wide smile.

"G-good. For saving this island we'll allow you to escape before reporting you to the-"

"There isn't a marine in this sea that scares me." Luffy said calmly once again, making his first crew member smile and the marines sweat. "But, if you all want me to leave. I think I'll go. On one condition."

"Listen pirate, we're letting you escape without issue. What else could you possibly want?"

"Let Coby here enlist." He said calmly, feeling poor Coby's weak heart pound feverishly. "Ignore his past while you're at it."

"We can't just do that! Pirates are constantly trying to plant spies in the marines to aid in their survival! How can we know he's not doing that?!"

"You can't. But you owe me more than an escape. So I'm going to stay until you let him join." Luffy said, crossing his arms and staring the man down.

There was a long silence as the two men stared one another down. However, everyone in the bar could see who would win. Only one could even bare to look at the boy.

"Dammit! Fine! But he'll have an eye on him at all times." The marine said through gritted teeth as he looked at the boy.

"Shishishi. Good choice! I have no idea where the next marine base would be. Plus, I'd have to kill you guys so you didn't report him." Luffy said in an upbeat tone, which scared everyone more than the actual words. His backup plan was to murder every marine so this one kid could enlist? "Hear that Coby? You're gonna-" Luffy was stopped by a punch from the pink haired little boy.

"Dammit Luffy!" He said, crying heavily. "I'm going to be your enemy now!" Coby wiped the tears from his eyes before finishing his outburst. "Thank you!" He yelled out, confusing most of the people who watched. Luffy reared back from the punch and hit him back.

"Yupp! So you better train hard if you ever want a chance of fighting me, Admiral Coby." He said with a smile as he started to walk towards the door. He stopped and walked into the kitchen, returning with two raw steaks. "Want one for the road, Zoro?" Luffy asked as he walked towards the door, no intent on cooking.

"No thanks, captain. You're not suppose to eat… raw… meat..." His warning fell on deaf ears as Luffy started to ring all of the blood from the steak and pull it in his mouth. Thankfully they were outside so no one inside could see the grotesque display that left Luffy looking like he just ate a person. "Jeez Luffy, don't do that." Zoro said as he walked along side his new captain. He was by no means a lightweight when it came to the grotesque, but that was unsettling. "You know it's not healthy to eat raw meat or drink blood."

"But blood makes me stronger! Plus, it tastes so good!" Luffy defended as he dried out the other steak and drank down the blood. "So unless you're looking to donate to my stomach, let me eat how I eat." Luffy said before eating the now rung out steaks.

"You'd actually drink human blood?" Zoro asked as he climbed in their little boat and pushed off. He wanted to question why that was their only boat, but was more infatuated with the whole 'My captain may or may not feast off of human blood like some kind of day-walking vampire' thing.

"Well, I already absorb it when I fight. Though I have to let it out afterward if it's not the same type. Drinking it may be different." Luffy said as he leaned over the edge of the boat and ran his fingers in the water. "Wanna help me find out?"

"Not a chance, captain." Zoro responded, scooting away from the boy. It wouldn't help if he actually decided to do some pseudo-cannibalism, since he could rip blood from people's body, but it helped his mental state.

"Aww. Well I want to find out now!" Luffy yelled out in protest. At least he wasn't doing it by force.

"Calm down, you can eat up the next giant bad-guy. Deal?"

"Fine, but they better not taste funny." He griped.

Zoro sighed, then facepalmed. This was a conversation his was having with a man he'd have to follow till one of them died or till he tried to stop his dream. A boy who could rip people's insides out, wanted to try drinking human blood, and was apparently happy to do both.

* * *

Luffy and Zoro floated aimless in the sea, heading in the direction one of the townspeople thankfully pointed them towards as the closest island. It still didn't speed up their tiny boat, so they had to come up with something.

"So what are you anyway? No normal person could have done that stuff."

"Oh yeah, I'm a Blood Man. I ate the Chi-Chi no Mi" Luffy replied with a wide smile, showing it off by turning his hand to blood. "I can control any blood I can feel. Not really sure of the range, but I can take out anything but a sniper."

"Wow. That's… Powerful." Zoro said as he stared at Luffy, who only laughed. He had precious little knowledge on Devil Fruit Users, but he could tell this one must rival a lot.

"Shishishi. Yeah, but it's exhausting to use. Every time I use it on someone else, I'm fighting their heart, or pushing stuff precisely constantly." Luffy said, turning his finger to blood and throwing it at the air. It shot up with the speed of a bullet and then fell back down to him. "But using my own blood is easier, since it's going with my flow and not against it."

"Sound's like quite the power…" Zoro said. The first step to knowing his captain, before he was a friend, was knowing what he could do. "So, that's what you did with those marines? Moved their blood while it was inside them?"

"Shishishi, cool huh? I can stop most fights right away if I'm willing to do stuff like that."

"Than why don't you? Clench your fist and the enemies dead." Zoro said, causing Luffy to look up at the sky.

"Where's the fun in that?" Luffy responded, smiling his soon to be trademark smile. "Besides, that thing on Morgan was hard to do. I mean, your heart keeps beating after a lot of stuff. That thing pushes a lot of blood everywhere at once from birth till death. Unless I'm sure I don't have a fight after a guy, I don't like doing it. Thankfully I had some meat and blood! Now I could take out another Sea King!"

Zoro laughed a little. Some raw meat would fix him right up? He tried to ignore the 'another' part of the little boasting. "Good, would hate to think you're weak." Zoro said with a smile as he lashed at his new captain's ego. Hopefully it would pass the time as they sailed aimlessly around this damn sea.

"You wish you were as strong as me!" Luffy said as he hopped up. He was eager to do something, anything to discharge his energy.

"We'll see captain, we'll see." Zoro said as he looked up towards the sky. "Huh, there's a bird up there." He said absently as he looked to his captain.

"Eh, so there is. Must be big, looks really high up."

"Think you could catch it?" Zoro asked, looking over at Luffy.

"Well yeah, maybe. But uh, lot of just sea if I miss." Luffy said as he looked around. Thankfully he had the state of mind to realize that was a lot of risk to get a bird Zoro couldn't eat. Unless he wanted to start a fire on the wooden ship.

"Eh, good point. Let's just wait it out. Hand me an orange." He said as he pointed to the barrel. Thank whoever they thought to bring along some food. Luffy wanted to bring more meat, but that would have been eaten in an hour, not a few days.

Luffy tossed him one and started to stand. "Land ho! Adventure!" Luffy yelled as he ran to the bow of the ship. "Umm… People ho!" He yelled as he spotted some men swimming in the middle of the open water. "Should we save them?"

"Eh… If we don't have to go out of our way, they can row for us."

"Shishishi! Good thinking! Hey, guys! Swim to us!" Luffy yelled as he started to row to match their swimming. He finally stopped as they got close.

* * *

"Oh thank god, a boat!" One yelled out as the climbed up. "Thank you. We thought we'd drown out there. But now… we'll be taking this!" One of the men yelled as he drove his sword through the boy's back, his partners in crime rushed the swordsman, but were floored in one swing. The man tried to pull his sword out of the boy, but it was stuck. "Ugh! Dammit!" He yelled as he tried to kick off the boy, but his foot was absorbed in. "What the hell is wrong with this kid?!" He yelled in anger and fear as he felt his sword break, all his strength in pulling on it sent him flying to the stern of the tiny ship.

"Is that how you repay your saviors?" The boy asked plainly as he turned around, blood seeping from his eyes as the tip of the sword fell to the floor. "I can feel your heart beating faster." He said as he stepped closer, leaving large pools of blood with each step. "Are you afraid of death?" The demon asked as blood started to fall from his mouth and back into his body.

The pirate was on the verge of unconsciousness from the horror show before him. He thought he was afraid of Sharks, Spiders, Sea Kings, and Buggy. But this thing was like a eight legged land shark the size of a Sea King with Buggy's face! The boy was starting to ooze blood from his very pores. "I-I'm sorry! I repent! Please!" The man knelt in prayer, ready to worship whatever vengeful god he angered that sent a demon like this after him.

"Repentance is for the church." The demon growled out, voice affected from the blood in his throat, before grabbing the man by the throat. He ran a sharpened finger along his neck. He got to release some of that pent up energy for a good show. Based on the number of racing hearts, even Zoro was scared.

"Mercy!" He started to cry as he felt blood drawn, but none spilled down his throat. It was sucked into the demon before him.

"Okay." The boy said, soaking back up all the blood he had spilled. With a quick glance he saw the other two shaking in their boots. Zoro wasn't doing much better. His mouth was agape from the sight of his captain transforming into a terrifying creature. "Think you could row us to the next island?" Luffy asked the three mutineers. They nodded feverishly and manned the oars. Leaving him to laugh at their fear loudly.

"You really are a monster, captain." Zoro said, holding back the knot in his throat. Ax, Bullets, Swords, nothing worked on him. If Luffy did try and stop him from becoming the greatest, their wasn't too much he could do to prevent it. He'd need to train even harder. If there was one monster out here, there was bound to be more.

"Shishishi. A monster would kill them and drink their blood..." He stopped and turned to the men. "Hey! Any of you guys wanna give me some blood to try?" Luffy asked like they were passing him the salt.

They started crying mid-row, looking at each other and questioning what kind of hell the fell into. They just wanted a boat to get back to their captain!

"Ahh forget it." Luffy said with a frown on his face. He didn't want to ring anyone dry! Why was no one willing to give him a sample? "Why were you out here anyway?" He asked, hoping to get the weaklings to stop crying.

"S-someone stole our ship." One of them said hesitantly, hoping not to enrage his captor from the irony.

"Y-yeah! Some damn whore tricked us into letting her on our ship then.. she uh.. stole it." Another chimed in, anger over taking his rational thinking for a moment before he realized where he was.

"Shishishi! I like her already. She's a more successful version of you guys." Luffy laughed as he watched them cower in fear. "Maybe she should join our crew." Luffy said to Zoro, who eyed their new captives.

"Well outsmarting these guys doesn't look hard, but I see what you mean. We'll see about it." Zoro said, reaching for Wado. 'Why do I have a bad feeling about this chick already?'

"Shishishi. If she's cute she's mine." Luffy said sternly at his swordsman, who looked curiously at him. "What? I haven't had a girlfriend and the Pirate King needs a lot of girlfriends."

"Fine with me captain, I'll worry about woman after I become the worlds greatest swordsman." He said, patting Wado to assure himself. Though he furrowed his brow at Luffy's giggle.

"Shishishi. So you're saying you'll be the only one handling your sword?" Luffy said before covering his mouth to hold back his roar of laughter. Zoro was about to hit him before a captive spoke up.

"We're here, sirs." One of the pirates said as they rowed into the docks. They stood, staring at the dock like it was their last beacon of hope. They needed to get away from this monster as soon as they could, even if it meant returning to Buggy.

"Thanks!" Luffy yelled, jumping up and onto the docks. "Shishishi. You guys were a real help." Luffy said before sticking out his hand and looking at the men. "Chi Chi Rush!" With a move of his fingers he slammed blood into and out of their heads, causing them to faint and fall over each other on the ship. "Okay Zoro, throw them up here on the dock and let's go exploring." Luffy ordered absently as he started walking.

"Wait why?!" Zoro yelled at his captain, but got no answer. Zoro looked at the passed out men. Shaking his head as he threw them up on the dock. They were going to wake up eventually, and would probably go tell their captain or steal their ship. As long as they kept this quick it wouldn't be a problem. "Luffy! Wait up!" Zoro yelled as he ran after his captain. The idiot managed to get so far in such a short time.

* * *

"Where the hell is everyone?" Luffy asked out loud as he roamed the streets. There wasn't a person in sight. He heard Zoro yell and his feet pattering in the distance. Eh, he would catch up. Luffy wandered over to the remnants of a collapsed store. "What happened here?" He asked as he started rummaging through the rubble. "Zoro! What the hell could tear down a building in the middle of a town?!" Luffy yelled back at his swordsman, who ran up to examine it.

"Something big… Probably hungry by the look of the spilled food." Zoro said as he looked at the pet food on the ground. Some were in pools of saliva, that had hints of blood.

"So it's a mystery..." Luffy said as he stood up from the collapsed building. "What animal doesn't eat its entire kill?" Luffy asked as he eyed the dog's body in the rubble. It made him sick to his stomach that whatever it was had food but killed the dog anyway.

"I don't know… Come on, captain. No point in hanging around and waiting for it." Zoro said as he walked towards the steps.

"Yeah, let's go find it and kick its ass!" Luffy yelled as he ran from the corpse and now grave of the presumably tough animal. It appeared to have some blood on its teeth from a bite rather than coughing any up.

As the duo walked on they were shocked by the sound of a large explosion. Their first instinct told them to run towards the sound, since they were insane, and see what made it. They were greeted with the sight of an entire row of houses reduced to rubble. With a quick look they saw a group of clowns, and that was no insult since they were dressed like clowns, dancing around a cannon.

"I think it's safe to say those guys… Luffy!" Zoro had to start running after his captain, who charged full speed at the dancing maniacs. Luckily they were no longer looking at the destruction, and had turned back around for whatever reason.

* * *

"Do you see my power now, girl?!" Buggy yelled in with pride at the wide eyed captive. She thought she could just take his riches without punishment?! "That is how you will meet your end. At the end of a Buggy Ball!" His crew all cheered at the very mention of the name. That power would make them the greatest pirate crew in history!

"You monster! Those were peoples homes! People lived-" The orange haired girl was stopped with a death glare from the clown. He walked towards her angrily brandishing knives.

"Those pathetic weaklings mean nothing to me! They were lucky to be an example of my power." His eyes were locked on hers. He smiled wide and started to laugh. "Gyahaha! See! Look how terrified you are, and you had the gall to steal from me in the first place!" He boasted, before pressing the knife to her stomach. "Don't think I've forgotten that either." He said in a much more serious tone, before giving an unsettling smile. "Men! You deserve a reward for capturing this tart! She's all-" As Buggy turned, he saw a lanky boy oozing blood charging at him with a large red sword.

"Ji-Ken Slice!" The boy yelled as he reached the clown, slicing the blood sword down his body and splitting him in two. He turned from the clown and the girl to the man's crew. "You bastards! I'll rip you all apart!" He yelled at them, but they only laughed. It pissed him off that they weren't scared or angry. The emotions he came to expect. "Dammit! Stop laughing you bastards!" Luffy yelled in rage as they waited patiently. He felt a small sting and looked down at his stomach, seeing a blade poke through.

"Quite Flashy there, boy. But useless against me." Buggy said as he launched a second hand at the boy, this one lodging the knife through his chest. "For I am a Chop Chop Man! Swords are useless against me!" He drew his hands back and began to laugh as blood poured from the wounds. He and his men stopped when the blood not only stopped flowing, but was sucked back up and the wound healed.

"Heh, sounds pretty cool." Luffy said as he slowly turned around. "But I'm a Blood Man." With the end of that statement he turned himself to a pool of blood and started flowing towards Buggy's men. He sent out small shards at each of the grunts before him, barely enough to injure them, but more than enough for his 'Flashy' show. He made special care to get the giant lion and the guy on top. That was a lot of blood to use, more than a dozen men.

"Blood man..." Buggy was frozen in horror as the boy transformed into blood and started slashing the heels of his men. A logia?! That logia?! Here?! How?! It's been years! "Fire! Use fire!" He yelled as his men, who started to throw torches at the blood. "No you morons! On yourselves!" His underlings looked in confusion at him. Few got his meaning before they started to cauterize their wounds with the torches. They realized a blood man could get at their wounds unless they closed them. They yelled in pain from the flames on their skin. It did however save them from the next attack.

"Chi Chi Theft!" Luffy yelled as he formed up from the ground, robbing the men who failed to act of their blood. One of which was some weird guy on a big lion. That was quite a lot of blood for him. He absorbed it greedily, hungrily before he let them fall to the ground. Most of them would survive, some would not. He wasn't aiming to kill them for following a bad captain, but holding back in the midst of battle wasn't easy.

"Dammit! Not here!" Buggy yelled as he started to look at the boy. 'How could his fruit be back?!' He thought as he backed away. "Burn him alive men! Boil his blood!" He ordered from his position, watching them throw alcohol at the boy. Cabaji quickly acted, blowing flames and lighting the blood boy on fire.

"Ahh! Hot Hot Hot!" Luffy yelled as he tried to turn into blood. It was no use, alcohol seeped into him and was acting as fuel. He barreled through them and started smashing barrels, searching for the elusive water they must have been keeping. Didn't they keep anything besides booze?!

"Gyahaha! See, boy?! Your death will be the flashiest yet! Burn! Burn!" He yelled before he watched the barrel of water be cut open.

"Luffy! Over here!" Zoro yelled to his captain, who rushed over and dunked himself in to the barrel Zoro had pointed out.

Luffy shed the alcohol inside the barrel and forced himself out of it, panting heavily as he touched his body. It was a weird sensation to not have any lasting pain from burning alive, but he was able to heal back immediately. "Thanks Zoro, you saved me, but just sit back and watch. They're out of tricks…" Luffy said before rushing back towards Buggy's crew.

He stood just outside the range at which they could sling the alcohol and drew his arms back. "Chi Chi Blanket!" Luffy shot his arms upwards and created a large blanket of blood over their heads. They all started to back away, then dive for cover at the sound of his next attack. "Chi Chi Rain!" Blood started falling from the sky at lightning speed. It clotted into daggers and stabbed all who were out in the open, leaving them to fall and be stabbed by even more falling shards. The pirates screamed in either fear from under their table shields or pain from outside. The daggers weren't long enough to start hitting organs, or strong enough to pierce bone, but they would keep them pinned down. Especially that annoying guy who set him on fire.

"You damn boy! I'll destroy you and that stupid Straw Hat!" Buggy yelled as the fuse closed in. He may have to take out his entire crew to do it, but he would stop this kid and his damn power. Buggy was meant to be King! The ball fired and soared towards that damn Mugiwara. The blast already starting to tear away at everything in front of it.

Luffy was directly in the path, and had no time to move. With a quick launch of blood he closed his eyes. "Homunculus!" He yelled, creating a small clone of himself outside the blast. The ball hit him and exploded, tearing through him and everything behind him.

"Gyahaha! Take that stupid Mugiwara!" Buggy yelled in triumph as a large blast enveloped the boy. Cabaji and Richie were in the mass of people on the receiving end of that powerful shot, but it was a small price to pay to get rid of that boy and that unholy Devil Fruit. But they had some human shields, they may have lived. He quickly turned to the swordsman, who stared in shock. His captain was invincible! How could this freak-show take him out? "Now, you. Roronoa Zoro." Buggy said with a large smile. That green hair and those swords were all the introduction he needed. "I believe I'll take your head next!"

Nami was in tears from where she lay. Her one hope of escaping alive, let alone unharmed, was just obliterated. Which would mean Buggy would be taking out all of his rage on her once he killed the swordsman.

Luffy breathed heavily from his new body. It was a major pain to do, but it saved him from being wiped off the planet. That thing seemed pretty dangerous. He started absorbing the blood he could and began to flow towards the clown, who was preoccupied with Zoro. With a quick form Luffy was standing behind him, arms stretched back. "Chi Chi Clap!" He yelled before slamming his fists together, well they would be together if Buggy's head weren't in the way. The sudden impact, combined with Luffy's power, slammed the blood around in Buggy's skull, making him pass out and fall to the ground. Luffy smiled and held his hand to Buggy's chest. He picked him up and reared his arms back. "Chi Chi Bazooka!" He yelled, launching the unconscious clown far into the distance. "Space twinkle." He said to himself with a smile as the clown may or may not have left orbit.

Zoro fell back with relief at the sight of his captain. That damn clown would have made Swiss Cheese out of him alone. The bastard wouldn't be affected by swords, and that was all he knew. "Glad to see you back, Luffy." He said, hardly a drop of the sea of relief showing.

"Shishishi. Killed by a clown? That's a phobia, not the end for the Pirate King!" Luffy said confidently as he grew back to normal. He had little time to enjoy it when he remembered why he attacked that bastard in the first place. He walked to the girl on the ground and held out his hands to show he wasn't going to hurt her. He sucked in a pool of blood and ran it up the ropes, slicing them carefully off of her. "Hey. Are you okay, Miss?" He asked calmly. Taking her hand. "Do you need anything? Water?"

Nami shook in fear at the sight of him. The man was a monster or a demon or… anything besides the boy he appeared to be. But it didn't matter. He had saved her. He may want something in return for it, but right now he was her savior. She reached up and wrapped around his neck. Hugging him as she cried into his shoulder. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

* * *

I've decided to do some public responses at the end of the stories from now on. I do respond to questions via PM, but guests comments I cannot do that with and some need to be answered publicly.

Guest Oh: Luffy's organs no longer stretch, yes. But if you've ever seen Garp eat, you know that doesn't matter much in the Monkey family. He won't actually bloat out to the size of a balloon, but he will be eating a lot because of how quickly he metabolizes the food.

Sneak13579: I responded to this one directly, but decided to mention it publicly as well. Luffy will have a rather large harem for this. Nami and Robin of course, as well as some enemies. He'll only keep the ones who can fight, so keep on the lookout.


	3. A Blood Man and a Butler

Helly everone! Bah, I can't help myself! I'm putting my foot down! No update tomorrow! This chapter was halfway done anyway, and is actually half of what I intended. However, I didn't want to make a 1-1 ratio for chapters and arc, so I'll start splitting them. That's right, no big battle this time. Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece.

* * *

"Z-zoro! Help! What do I do?!" Luffy yelled as he stuck his arms in the air. The orange haired girl was hugging around his chest and sobbing like a newborn. "Why is she crying?! Zoro!" Luffy called for help to his only friend. He had no experience with stuff like this and was on the verge of freaking out with her.

Zoro fought back the laugh as he captain yelled for help. He just saved this woman's life and he's surprised she's crying? Poor moron. "Hug her back, moron." Zoro said calmly as he got up. He sure as hell wasn't going to hug her, so the captain could do it.

Luffy nodded and hugged the crying girl back. Squeezing her tight and letting her cry. He didn't really know how to cheer her up. She shouldn't be sad. Clown guy is unconscious, maybe, so she's safe. "I'm Luffy, who're you?"

"N-nami." She said from his chest, wiping the tears and breaking the hug. She turned a deep shade of crimson when she saw the tears she left on his chest. "Thank you for saving me Luffy… I thought I was going to die..."

"Oh. Yeah, dying sucks. But now you're not going to, right? So you don't have a reason to cry." Luffy said with a big smile. The simplicity of the answer cheered Nami right up, but he just had to keep talking. "So, wanna join my crew?"

"What crew?" She asked, looking over at the green swordsman who didn't do anything. The lazy bastard…

"Me and Zoro, I'm still getting crew members so I can be the King of The Pirates!" Luffy yelled triumphantly, ignoring the fact that his crew was two people strong.

Nami fell to the ground when she heard it. She swore her mind had made up him saying that just moments before. He couldn't be a pirate. Pirates were evil. Every pirate was evil! He couldn't be one. He was her savior! Or he was just another pig… "I hate pirates." She spat back. It may cost her her life, but she was too weak to try and lie.

"Oh… Well okay." Luffy said as he started to walk away. "Come on Zoro! I don't think the people here will be too happy about all these destroyed buildings." He yelled as he headed back towards his crew-mate. "Let's try and get directions to the next-"

"What do you mean okay?!" Nami yelled from her spot on the ground. "You charge up and take on an entire pirate crew for me, ask me to join your crew, then just leave?!" He mind was racing. How could he do that? Didn't pirates kidnap, plunder, and rape? More importantly, why was she questioning him?

"Shishishi. You want to join us now, don't you?" Luffy laughed as he started to walk back. As much as he wanted to keep demanding and demanding, he doubted that would get far with her. If she was truly thankful for the rescue, maybe she'd make an exception on her hatred.

"No!" She yelled back in anger. How dare he?! "I'm willing to make a temporary alliance. For the small price of-"

"Umm, are you a prostitute?" Luffy asked, causing Nami to stop mid sentence. The way he asked it was with too much seriousness.

Zoro fell to the ground gripping his sides. He couldn't breathe through his roaring laughter. Luffy just burned that witch.

"What the hell do you mean 'Am I a prostitute?!' " Nami yelled angrily as she ran to hit the boy, who did nothing to dodge.

"Well, you're charging us for your company. Don't prostitutes do that?" 'That's what Shanks warned me about anyway' He asked as the fist went through his face harmlessly. Luckily he saw that punch coming, it looked like it would hurt even him.

"Stop Luffy! I can't breathe!" Zoro yelled. It was honestly the funniest experience of his life to see his captain cut down this woman so effortlessly.

"Dammit! Shut up! I'm offering you an alliance!" She yelled as she pulled her fist out of his head. She took a deep breath and tried to hold back the anger, but it didn't work well. "Look. I'll come along with you as long as it proves beneficial. Deal?" She asked through gritted teeth. This savior of her was a real ass.

"Hmm… Okay, you'll see we're the best anyway. Zoro! We got a new crew mate! Plus, she's cute!" He yelled happily before turning back to Nami, who managed to go from angry to embarrassed at the sudden compliment "So uh, what do you do anyway?" He asked, cocking his head. He may need to figure out stuff like this before hand.

"I'm the best navigator in the world." She replied through crossed arms. "I'm guessing neither of you have any navigational skills." She said, not phrasing it as a question since she knew the answer.

"Umm, I can read a compass, but that's about it." Luffy said, looking down at the ground. He did try and learn the basics before he left, but he didn't really think about getting maps or anything.

Nami sighed and started walking. "Well you need a lot more than to get around. Come on, let's get out of here." She said as she passed them, not wanting to spend another moment amongst the scum of Buggy Pirates.

Luffy and Zoro nodded and followed the woman. She was fuming with anger and charging back towards the dock. They overheard the angry charge of the mayor over the death of Chou-Chou, whoever that was.

They arrived at the docks and encountered the pirates, just waking up from their blood induced slumber. They immediately cowered in fear as Luffy walked by, seemingly ignoring them. Nami climbed into the boat she had stolen from them. Luffy turned back and smiled. "Thanks for getting us here so easily guys. But uh, you know, you're probably going to get arrested. Or beaten to death. So uh, run?" Luffy said casually as he untied the rope keeping the dingy tied to the dock as he saw a mass of people rushing at them.

* * *

Some time passed and Luffy wanted to get to know his new crew-mate, so he hopped over aboard her ship while Zoro slept.

"So, Nami. Talk." Luffy said with a smile as he laid down.

"About what?" She asked, annoyed by his sudden interruption.

"I don't know…" He said innocently, rolling over to look at her.

"Ugh… Well you gotta think of something you want me to talk about." Nami said as she glanced at the compass. They were heading towards the next island at a decent pace.

"Hmm… Why do you hate pirates?" He asked, watching her face twist into one of anger and fear.

"I just do, okay." She said angrily, hoping that would end it.

"You know, I can tell when people are lying." Luffy said as he stood up. "Your heart goes just a little faster. You're a good liar."

"Pirates are scum." She answered, heart indicating that was the truth. Though it didn't explain much.

"Lots of people think so. Still need a reason though." He said simply as he stared towards the sky.

"I don't want to tell you, okay?" Nami spat back, growing increasingly uncomfortable.

"Fine. Fine. But I'll figure it out eventually." He said with a smirk before hopping back over to Zoro.

* * *

They docked on the beach of one of the Gecko Islands. Syrup Village was the name of this one. They didn't have any greeting, which was shocking. Typically small islands would either be suspicious or welcoming to new arrivals. The three went deeper into the island before hearing yells.

"We've had it Usopp! You've been doing this for years now! Enough!" Various villagers yelled at the cornered young man. He had tried the daily routine of yelling about pirates, but they were ready for him this time. He was shielding his body from the thrown bottles with his arms. Shards of glass were buried in his forearms and shins from the shattering. "You fucking pest!"

"Stop! Please! He hasn't hurt anyone!" The three boys yelled from the crowd, their fathers holding them back and preventing them from protecting the young man.

"Hasn't hurt anyone?! He's been disturbing us for years! Ten years of this! We lost our sympathy a long time ago!" Another man yelled as he threw a rock. It clocked the boy in the knee, causing him to fall to the ground. "No more!"

The boy stopped trying to defend his body, covering his eyes so his three friends wouldn't see him cry. "I just tried to lift your spirits..." He sobbed into his arms. His crew started to cry and punch their fathers' legs.

"Is this what you wanted, you little brat?!" Another man asked in a loud shout as he fired a flintlock at the defenseless boy, making him cower more. "Our kids are acting like you now! Is that what you wanted Usopp?!"

Usopp glanced from his arms up at the crowd. Not a single face that met his eyes even wanted him alive anymore. His friends were dragged away after they sided with him over their own parents. He wiped the tears and started to cover his body again. Curl up, knees to chest, don't let them hit anything vital. It's what he had learned over the years. "I just wanted..."

" **HEY! GET AWAY FROM HIM!** " The blood curdling scream rocked the crowd into turning away from Usopp. None spoke up at first as the stranger walked angrily towards them

"Who're you?! One yelled, mostly in fear, as he charged towards them. He held up his gun just in case things got serious.

"Shut Up!" He yelled, walking through the crowd and to the young man. He didn't deserve this, no matter who he was. "Are you okay?" He asked in a much calmer tone. He was bleeding from multiple wounds, but not too much. The most he could do would be pull out the shards and prevent anymore bleeding.

"H-hey. Just who the hell do you think you are? That annoying punk- **AHH!** " The man suddenly yelled in pain, his arm felt like it was on fire. He stared in shock as, against his will, he pointed the gun at his head. His finger burned like ants were in his veins. It took every ounce of strength to keep from pulling the trigger. What the hell was happening?!

"You all think this is right?! Attacking a defenseless man over a prank!"Luffy yelled in anger. He wanted to kill this man where he stood, but that wasn't good enough. He had to teach all of them a lesson. He forced the man to face the crowd and put the gun in his own mouth. The length of time he controlled the man's blood was getting taxing, but he was fueled by enough rage to ignore it. At the last moment he moved the man's hand so the gun was pointing straight up and forced him to pull the trigger. Leaving him in tears as his life flashed before his eyes. "Hey. You're Usopp, right?" Luffy said, attention back on the boy.

The mob stumbled back away, no one even bothering to help the man who nearly blew his own brains out. They could not and would not stand against that boy, not when he had such complete control over them. The man finally stumbled to his feet and ran away, leaving the gun on the ground as he passed two more people.

"Y-yeah. W-who're you?" He asked shakily, trying to focus back on what just happened. He was preparing for another beating, or worse.

"Luffy. Monkey D. Luffy. I think I've heard of you before." He said, trying to get the poor boy's mind off what just happened. He definitely knew Usopp, but would like to ease into that. "Though it may just be the nose… Yassop's kid, right?" He remembered Yassop. Best sniper in the world. He would go on and on about how proud he was of his son. It hurt to think Usopp would be treated like this.

"You know my dad, huh…" Usopp said, looking back at his arms. He hoped for good things, but couldn't expect them anymore. He'd hate to fight the man who saved him over his father, but it may be inevitable.

"Sure do! He talked about you a lot when he visited." Luffy said, boosting Usopp's spirits. "He could shoot the antennae off of an ant at a hundred feet!" He boasted, making Usopp laugh.

"Yeah… He's the best." Usopp said as he slowly stood. Whoever he was, this guy was a real life saver. "Can I get you guys anything for helping me?" He asked, assuming the two misfits were with him.

"Later. First, do you have anywhere we can patch you up? A friend maybe?" Luffy asked to Nami's dismay.

"Umm… Yeah I guess." Usopp said, walking as best he could towards Kaya. He couldn't trust anyone in the village to help him anymore, as much as he didn't want her to see him like this.

After a long walk, aided by Luffy and Zoro letting him lean on them, they walked to the gates of the mansion.

"Kaya! Usopp needs help!" Luffy yelled towards the mansion, Usopp had finally given up the name of this stranger so they could get her attention.

"Miss Kaya can not…" The butler had to fight off his smirk at the sight of the injured Usopp. That pest had been a thorn in his side for years, so any pain he didn't cause on him was delicious. "Help you at the moment. Go see someone in town."

"The people in town can't help shit symbols!" Zoro yelled out at the butler. He didn't know what to call those things on his uniform, but they looked like turds.

"Well, that's too bad. She can not-"

"Usopp!" Kaya yelled as she rushed from the door. It was the first time she had left her home in ages, but Usopp was hurt. "Klahadore! Let them in!" She cried in desperation to her butler.

"My lady, go back inside." He said coldly, ignoring her order and the man desperate for help.

"No Klahadore! Let them in!" She yelled again, making him turn and open the gate for them.

"Thank you Kaya." Luffy said as he helped Usopp in. He had learned some basic manners, but he stuck his tongue out at the butler as they passed. That guy was a real dick.

They carried Usopp inside and laid him on a table. He bit down on a rag as they pulled out the shards. He showed miraculous grit, not shedding a tear in front of Kaya.

"What happened to him?" Kaya asked the three when they left the room. Merry was doing some impromptu stitch work on his wounds and didn't want to lose focus.

"Those people out there…" Nami muttered as she clenched her fists. It disgusted her to think anyone would do that. Usopp was no tyrant.

Luffy didn't want to tip-toe around the subject another second. "When we got here, people were throwing rocks and bottles at him. One guy shot at him." Luffy said, causing Kaya to sit and sob.

"They're good people… They all tried to cheer me up when my parents died." Kaya said more to herself than the three strangers. "Why would they hurt Usopp?"

"His stories." Luffy said plainly, staring at the floor as he clenched his fists.

"But… They're funny. He's been telling me stories for years." She whimpered out as she tried to rub her tears. "Why would they do this over stories?!"

"Because they get old, Miss Kaya." Klahadore said coldly as he looked through the door and into the room with Merry and Usopp. "The boy is a liar and a menace to this village."

"Klahadore don't-"

"Take that back!" Luffy yelled, using all of his concentration to not punch the bastard.

"Hmph. That boy has done nothing but lie for years, so I will not." He said with a smirk. Usopp's terrible reputation made everything so much easier.

"Klahadore please! Usopp's been nothing but nice to me!" Kaya yelled, standing up to block the raven haired boy. She didn't want him to hurt Klahadore.

"Why do you think that is, Miss Kaya? The boy's obviously after your money." He said as he turned to her.

"Usopp doesn't care about my money, Klahadore." Kaya defended as she looked in the room. Usopp was still on the table, suffering through Merry's attempted suturing.

"So you say, but let's face it, the boy is nothing but trouble. He's a no good crook just like his father."

Luffy couldn't hold back any longer. He rushed past Kaya with a drawn fist and clocked the butler in the jaw, sending him flying back a few feet. "Usopp is better than you, you bastard!" He yelled before Kaya and Nami pulled him back.

"Stop! Klahadore is just trying to protect me!" Kaya cried as she tried to pull the boy back. She didn't have the strength to do it, but Luffy wouldn't punch the butler if it would hurt her or Nami.

"Pfft. Just as expected. The thief befriended brutes." Klahadore said as he rubbed his face. The boy could throw a punch, as evident from his bloody nose and possibly fractured jaw.

"Dammit!" Luffy wanted to hit him again, but opted to make him bleed more from the nosebleed instead. That way he wouldn't have to hurt Kaya in the progress.

"Just… Another…" Klahadore put his hand to his nose again and froze. His entire hand was caked in blood. Extremely unusual for a nosebleed. "Brute." He wiped the blood on a handkerchief and refocused himself. "I shall leave you to your own devices, pirates." He said before leaving them.

"Ahh! Dammit!" Luffy yelled as he barged out of the mansion. He couldn't handle hearing Kaya's excuses for the bastards behavior. After those damn villagers attacked Usopp, he didn't care for any more reasons. He took his rage out on landscape. He may not have an innately destructive ability, but his punches could shatter the rocks he came across with ease.

"Luffy! Luffy!" Nami yelled as she walked beside Zoro. They could cover more ground if they split up, but if those villagers from earlier came back, she couldn't defend herself nearly as well as a swordsman. "Where the hell did he go?"

"Probably to fight something." Zoro said idly as he walked, leaving the yelling to Nami. "I'm amazed he didn't rip that butler apart." He said, spitting out in disgust. This whole island was full of disgusting people, but that butler was extra despicable.

"Yeah, I've been meaning to ask. What the hell did he do to that guy?" Nami asked, hiding her fear. She saw the fight between Luffy and Buggy, but through mostly closed eyes. She still had no explanation to who or what he was in terms of that power. She also didn't see any puppeteer work like he did on that villager.

"From what I can guess, some freaky blood bending stuff." He said as he slowed to a stop. He really didn't like thinking of just what Luffy was doing to people. No amount of speed, strength, or skill could stop someone who used your blood as a weapon. "Ask him about it when we find him."

"Fine, worthless swordsman…" She muttered as she walked.

Luffy had ended his assault on the various trees and rocks he crossed, though some trees were irreparably damaged as a result of his outburst, and decided to spy. He felt two blood-sacks, a term he used for unidentified person he felt with his power, down the cliff he was near and waited at the top, listening closely.

"Your plan is working perfectly captain." A weirdly dressed man who looked like a reject of Buggy's crew said to the butler. "That boy is so hated, no one will believe his warnings."

"Yes, but I'm concerned with Kaya. Those idiot townspeople and their outburst have earned him sympathy with the girl. She may believe him." Klahadore said as he wiped his nose. He swore that nosebleed was under control, but it was flowing once more.

"Well by that time, it will be too late." The strange man said as he sat down. "Three years Captain Kuro, your plan will not fail." The man assured, obviously trying to appeal to his ego.

"Do not call me that, Jango." Kuro said coldly back to his terrified crew-member. "Kuro is dead. Move up the attack, that outburst in the village has lulled them all. They will only be weaker for it." He assured, walking away from the strange sphinx looking man.

Luffy was left full of anger, but he knew it was pointless. If they planned to attack tomorrow, so would he. He couldn't let an entire crew attack this island at some random point in time if he killed them both. The actual townspeople weren't high on his list of people to keep alive, but Kaya and Merry were for helping Usopp. He'd make sure they weren't hurt, then deal with the pirates. "Luffy!" He heard in the distance, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"There you are!" Nami yelled as she rushed towards him. The path of destroyed terrain was a unique bread crumb trail right to him. "Come on, it's about to get dark and Kaya offered to keep us for tonight."

Luffy buried his anger and smiled to Nami. It was nice of them to hunt after him. "Yeah, let's go." He said calmly as he walked towards them, heading back towards the mansion.

"Something wrong?" She asked with a concerned look as he passed by. He wasn't typically so cold.

"I wouldn't say wrong exactly…" Luffy said with a smile before stopping in his tracks. "I'm going to kill that damn Butler."

* * *

Well, I'm going to prepare myself for the storm of anger over poor Usopp. I know it's not the saddest origin story ever (By far from what I've read on here. Insert Shudder) But I still got upset just writing it. Hope you enjoy the fear tactic and the more tactical Luffy. I meant what I said about the update speed. Next week at the soonest, sorry. I do however hope three chapters in three days is a good gift to you all. Oh, not to be a worthless self serving douche or anything, but my birthday is in a couple of days. So, I'd like some more feedback from you all. It helps me improve and in some cases just makes you feel better when your day is going poorly. But enough of that, thank you all for reading!


	4. Bloody Showdown with Cats

Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay. I lost a good portion of this story due to technical issues, but was able to recover it. This chapter should deliver on the fight that you've all been anticipating. Big thanks to my friend (amber . vale22) (that's all one word but it won't stay, sorry) for the extensive help with this story, including attack creation. It has been invaluable help. Shout out as well to Devlin Dracul for constant feedback. They've both helped me increase the quality of my writing for all of you. Now for the OP warning. I've already stated his power is incredible. He gets to have the innate invincibility of a logia. Logias get to enjoy that kind of power. He's also had ten years to think up attacks, so one get to be impressive. Please keep this in mind as you read. Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece

* * *

Nami and Zoro stared at their captain questioningly. He was so calm in stating that he'd murder that butler. Sure he was a dick, but killing him? Those villagers deserved it more than he did. "What do you mean, kill him?" Nami asked in an elevated tone.

"I mean I'm going to go to Kaya's, enjoy a nice meal, dream up some creative one-liners, and kill him around dawn." Luffy said calmly, listing off the reasons on his fingers.

"Stop joking! This is serious!" She yelled out before looking at Zoro for conformation, but given none.

"I don't think he's joking. He just doesn't sound serious." He answered her silent question, then backed away at her angry outburst towards Luffy.

"Why kill him?!" She yelled at him as she hit his head, causing a large lump. It was quite impressive that she could hurt the boy at all, given that he was a being of blood. But something about her punches managed to do it.

"Oww! Hey lighten up! It's not my fault he's planning on attacking the village and killing everyone!" Luffy yelled as he rubbed the newly formed lump on his head. He hadn't been hurt by a punch in years, what was up with her hits?!

"W-what?" She questioned before Luffy got back up from the ground. "How do you know that?"

"I overheard him and some Jango guy talking at the beach. Kinda stupid that they were in public…" Luffy commented absently before walking again. "Turns out he's some Kuro guy and they're planning on storming the town."

"Don't think you're taking them all on yourself, captain." Zoro said with a smirk as he sped up his walk. He hadn't fought anyone in quite some time now, and Luffy would need to be persuaded just to get a good one in.

"Fine. Half of them are yours." He said, seemingly annoyed he couldn't take on the army storming the beach all by himself.

"You're both insane!" Nami finally yelled out. "We need to tell Kaya and Usopp! T-the villagers!" She didn't care much for the people after that initial encounter, but maybe they weren't always so horrible.

"I have a plan for that." Luffy said with a smile. "The only problem is, I suck at making plans…" He said out loud, making the other two sweatdrop. (Un)Fortunately, he continued. "We're going to stay there and protect her from the butler guy. Then we'll fight those guys in the morning. Then we'll have meat!"

"An excellent plan as always captain." Zoro said with a smile as people ran to avoid the trio. Terrified of the seemingly harmless boy leading the pack. "But uh, why are saving these guys again?" He asked as he watched them.

"Well I can ask Usopp if he wants to save these guys. He may want to be the bigger man and stuff." Luffy said, puffing out some air. He didn't like these people, but getting butchered over that was a little too much.

"Well will Kaya even believe us?" Nami questioned as they neared her mansion, noticing the guards stare at one another.

"Probably not. But if he's dead what's it matter?" Luffy reasoned as they got in. He was already thinking of ways to kill him. He could make it pretty realistic. Suicide maybe. Or he could make him rip himself apart. Oh! He could drown him in a bubble of blood! Ten years of prep work and now he got to use his attacks.

"He's got a point." Zoro said with a smirk as they passed the guards.

* * *

Luffy started to search for Usopp right away. Kaya may not believe him, but Usopp wouldn't doubt that guy was evil for a second. "Kaya! Usopp! Merry! I'm hungry!" Luffy yelled out, forgetting all of his manners at the slightest rumble in his stomach. He almost entirely forgot of the assassination attempt on the way.

"We're in the dining room!" Usopp yelled out, in much higher spirits. It took getting attacked by the entire town to even have dinner with Kaya, but it certainly seemed worth it to him.

"Finally." Luffy said as he walked in the room, noticing Nami and Zoro had beat him there while he was searching for them. It never occurred to him that around dinner time that they'd be in the dining room. He smiled at the sight of his specialty made plate. Most everyone else had a rice meal, but he got a steak and a leg of lamb, which he snickered at when looking the sheep like Merry.

"You didn't tell me how you know Usopp." Kaya said quietly before taking a nice bite. She didn't want to dwell on what happened to him, it would only hurt her more.

"I knew his dad. He used to come by a lot to show off. Which you can do when you're the best." Luffy said with a big smile, cheering up Usopp more and more. He was thankful that he was better already, mentally if not physically.

"That's so nice." Kaya said with a smile before refocusing on her meal, wanting to avoid that subject.

"Luffy, Kaya lost her parents." Usopp whispered to Luffy, who only looked confused.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Luffy said, putting his head down in respect. He didn't really know what that felt like, having never really known his parents, but he knew it wasn't pleasant.

"No no, it's fine, really. I'm just glad to have friends that keep me in such high spirits." Kaya said warmly, placing her hand on Usopp's.

"Ohhh! Shishishi. Good job Usopp, she's cute." Luffy said as he elbowed his soon to be crew mate. He wanted a lot of girlfriends himself, but she seemed to like Usopp.

"T-that's not what she meant Luffy!" Usopp yelled defensively, inadvertently pulling away from her in the process. "She means we're best friends, right Kaya?"

"Yeah… That's-" Kaya couldn't muster out the words before Luffy interrupted.

"Shishishi. You're both liars. I can feel both of your hearts pumping like there's an army coming after you!" He laughed out before taking a large bite. "You both like each other, so don't be scared of that."

"I… We… Excuse us." Usopp stumbled before grabbing Kaya lightly and leading her out of the room. Merry smiled warmly as he ate his salad, making Luffy laugh at his sheep like nature.

"Thank you, Luffy. I thought they'd be stuck like that forever." He said calmly as he ate, making the other three look at each other.

"Are you just a walking lie detector or something?" Nami asked nervously, worrying about any future attempts to steal from them if the time came.

"Kinda. Neat huh?" Luffy said with a smile. He already caught her once. "I can do a lot of stuff like that. I can make you blush, keep you from getting cold. Hmm… Zoro!" He yelled out, smiling devilishly.

"What Luffy?" He asked as he set down his drink. Staring at what his captain may ask him. It only took a moment before he felt a certain rush of blood to a space it did not need to go at that moment. "Ahh! Dammit! Stop that!" He yelled out, covering himself with a cloth.

Luffy gripped his side as he laughed. He didn't actually know if he could do that, but it was quite the time to test it out. "Should I do it on Usopp? I think I can..." Luffy said before Nami hit him upside the head. "Owww! How does that even hurt me?!"

"Shut up and stop that!" She yelled out, cheeks flustered with embarrassment. Luffy was going to make guys pop boners at random from now on if she didn't stop him now. Luckily for him, even if that large knot hurt, it was gone quickly.

"I'm just having some fun! It's not like Kaya would mind… Shishishi." Luffy laughed, causing everyone to face-palm.

"It's getting late, I'm going to bed." Nami said with a sigh as she walked to Merry. "Can you show us to the guest rooms?"

"Of course. Everyone, please follow me." Merry said politely before leading the group to the single room. It only had two large beds, and there didn't seem to be another room for them. "Sorry for the inconvenience, but we never expected to receive much company."

Before Nami could even start her long and elaborate argument of how she needed her own bed for the obvious reasons, the two men rushed to get into a bed. They laughed to each other before looking at Nami, who started to steam with anger.

"Ugh… I blame you Luffy! I may just share with Zoro…" Nami really didn't like that idea, and from Zoro's look he hated it, but Luffy came up with something that changed her mind.

"Go ahead Nami, just remember my little trick." He winked and stuck out his tongue, which made her blush lightly and rub between her eyes.

"I swear on all the money in this sea if I wake up with anything poking me, I'll find a way to kill you." She said as she climbed in the bed and kicked him out from under the covers. No way would they both be on the same plane of sleep.

"Come on! What if I get cold?" Luffy complained to Nami, who only sighed.

"Shut up, you sleep in your regular clothes anyway." She replied to his complaint.

"Well I may sleep in the nu-"

"I will rip it off and make sure it stays that way." She barked back, feeling him scurry to the other side of the bed.

"Will you two either do it or go to sleep? I haven't had a normal bed in weeks." Zoro griped to the two, who quickly shut their yaps and let him sleep. Though Luffy could be heard snickering from Zoro's comment.

* * *

Some time passed and the sun set, leaving Merry to clean the chandelier as everyone else presumably slept.

"Why are those pirates staying? Doesn't Kaya know the trouble they'll bring?" Klahadore said bitterly as he walked past the lamb man.

"Well, you know Miss Kaya, she can't give up the chance to help people." Merry said happily as he polished a bulb. "If she trusts them, I do as well."

"You should never trust a pirate…" Klahadore said with a small smile as he stared out the window. Three years of acting like he cared about these two would finally pay off. He just had to kill three extra children. "Though I have a feeling you'll learn that lesson."

"Well I'm not too worried. They seem like nice people. You should try to get to know them. They all seem very nice, most of the time."

"I don't think I'll need to do that." Klahadore said with a dark smile as he fitted his claws, hidden from Merry's view. "I know far too many people."

Luffy awoke in a cold sweat from the bed. He could feel it, spilled blood. It was a combination of survival instinct and his power. He quietly got out of the bed and crept to the area where he felt it. He wasn't typically sneaky, but he didn't want to wake up Nami at risk of his own life.

"You. You can't. You can't hurt them. Everyone will know." Merry coughed up from the floor, claw marks dug into his chest. They didn't dig particularly deep, but it was enough to knock him down.

"I'm sure you think that, but I've been planning this for years. No one can stop me." Kuro said with a smirk as he pressed the claws to Merry's back. No need to let him bleed out when finishing him off would be easy and quick.

"Shishishi. You're a real cliché." Luffy said from the doorway as he walked towards the butler. He made sure to focus on the blood circulating in his arm and prepared to rip it up in case he tried to stab Merry. "I mean, look at what you did. Long drawn out plan of infiltrating and getting close to a rich girl. Devising a plan to steal her money and settle down peacefully. Plus, you just have that villain look."

"Amusing evaluation, but pointless. I haven't been doing this for three years for you to unravel my plans." Kuro lifted his hand, despite some previously unknown resistance, and adjusted his glasses. "I'm going to get her money, and her peaceful life." Kuro said before rushing Luffy with incredible speed. To his surprise, he did not move. The claws buried into the boy's gut and left his claws coated in blood. "Pathetic, you weren't even capable of dodging."

"Zzzzzz" Luffy snored before jerking his head up. He didn't even have to pretend to fall asleep mid evisceration, he was still pretty tired. "Oh, look at that, I've been impaled." Luffy said with a smile as he pulled Kuro's arm out of his stomach. "You know, you might want to try and be more creative." Luffy said plainly as is stomach reformed.

"What… What the hell are you?" Kuro asked as he watched his stomach reform. He had to assume it was the infamous Devil Fruits he had heard about but never personally seen. One that made the boy immune to his attacks was a very terrifying thing.

"Hmm… What am I?" Luffy asked Kuro back as he started to take control of his hand. The terrified face he made was slowly being burned into Luffy's mind as he forced the blades towards his stomach. "Well, I'm a boy." He said, pulling his shorts out and looking to make sure. "I'm a pirate captain. I'm going to be the Pirate King." Luffy decided to stop playing with the poor fool as he speared through his stomach with his own blades, tearing past vital organs that Luffy just regrew himself. "But I like the term Monster… Or Devil." He slowly brought his arm up, slicing through more organs with his razor sharp claw knives. His strength wasn't enough to stop the slow disembowelment by his own hand. "What do you think. Do I look like a Devil?" Luffy asked with a smile as he licked his lips. The blood spilling down his body seemed so enticing.

Kuro couldn't respond, blood was slowly starting to fill his lungs. Every breath effectively felt like drowning. Drowning in his own blood after spending three long years to get where he was. It was a terrible end, especially by a damn child. "Devil…" He mouthed as he watched blood pour from the boy's eyes. The word fit scarily well, especially for the last thing he saw before he died.

Luffy stared hungrily as the gaping wound in Kuro's stomach, but gave it up when he heard Merry's cough. He really hated not being able to taste the blood of his enemies, but it would have to wait. Merry would most likely be scarred far worse from that sight than the blade marks on his chest. "Merry! Uhhh. Uhhh. Help! Doctor!" Luffy cried out as he picked Merry up. It took a little longer than he would like to have admitted to realize he could stop the bleeding himself. He focused hard and bridged the gaps in the cuts himself, keeping the blood moving inside of his body.

Everyone rushed in at the yell. They needed to see what was going on. The initial reaction was shock and disgust at the sight of Klahadore dead on the floor. But when they realized Merry was hurt too, the attention was focused on who they could save rather than who was already gone. "Get the gauze and medical tape! Under the sink!" Kaya ordered in a surprisingly demanding tone, moving out of depression and into savior mode. Nami and Zoro rushed to fetch the needed supplies as Kaya and Usopp knelt beside the injured man. "What happened Merry? Who did this to you two?" She asked desperately trying to hold against him.

"It was. Klahadore. He was a pirate." Merry coughed. Luffy was doing a good job of preventing more blood loss, but a good bit of it was still on the floor.

Luffy took it upon himself to finish the story. "He was planning to kill you Kaya. To kill everyone. I didn't think he'd attack tonight." Luffy said, spitting out the last part of the sentence like a curse. If he only killed the bastard, Merry would be fine.

"Wait… Luffy, did you… Do that?" Usopp asked as he looked back to Klahadore. He didn't see what Luffy did to scare away the crowd, but now he knew it had to be terrifying.

"He hurt Merry, should I have given him a stern talking to?" Luffy said with a forced smile. He didn't feel bad about what he did, but it obviously upset Usopp. Kaya seemed surprisingly okay with the grisly act when she heard that Klahadore had hurt Merry. "We aren't done yet. They still plan to invade." Luffy added like a footnote.

"Than we need to warn everyone! We need to-" Usopp started before Luffy cut him off. Nami pressed the gauze against the wound and Zoro wrapped it with tape to hold it in place.

"I'm not a fan of those guys. But if you want to save them, don't say a word. Zoro, you still up for fighting them?" Luffy asked as he finished taping them up.

"You kidding? An army between us? They don't stand a chance." Zoro said with a smile as he stood, leaving the other three to tend to Merry.

"Great! But uh, they won't be here till sunrise. What do we do till then?"

Zoro scratched his head and looked at Luffy. "I don't really know. You never think of the time between battles."

"Will you two shut up and help us?" Nami asked angrily as the they tried to lift Merry. Zoro helped them while Luffy picked up Kuro's corpse. He had a very interesting plan involving it.

* * *

Merry was watched over intently by the crew. He proved to be a surprisingly sturdy individual, up and walking by morning. Luffy was especially excited by this because that meant he got to eat breakfast. After finishing his meal the two monsters headed off to the place they suspected the attack to happen. It made since that Kuro's men may land at the spot closest to the meeting, and where they had docked originally.

"Man Luffy, why the hell do you have a corpse up here?" Zoro asked as he glanced at the body. Luffy didn't answer any question regarding yet, but they could see the ships on the horizon and he didn't want to wait any longer.

"Oh him? Imagine how scared they'll be when they see I killed their captain. Or maybe they'll get angry… Either way It'll make it a fun fight." Luffy said with a smile.

Zoro smirked at Luffy's enthusiasm. It was nice to have someone who appreciated a good fight as well. If he could actually be hurt they could probably have a great duel, or at least a good fight. He couldn't expect Luffy to be skilled with a sword, but he could do some hand to hand fighting for his sake. Though Luffy reveled more in the aftermath than he did. "So what's the plan? I don't like the idea of you bursting a bubble in their brain or something while I'm trying fight."

"Ugh… Fine. I knew there was a reason I saved some of that Kuro guy's blood." Luffy said as he drew it out of the vest he wore. The red color made it hard to notice that it was quite literally soaked in blood. A sneaky way to hide a deadly weapon in his hands. "No exploding brains." He said with a smile before looking at the ship. Those guys really liked cats. It was kind of funny. An entire crew composed of pussies.

"Okay boys, we're here. Kuro has given us free reign over this pitiful island, and we wouldn't want to disappoint him." Jango said to his crew as they climbed down to the beach. The thought of an angry Kuro had kept him loyal even when he technically left the crew.

"Don't worry about that you guys!" Luffy yelled from atop the cliff, hiding the body for the big reveal.

"What? Why?!" Jango yelled back, staring at the boy questioningly.

"He uh… Said you can all leave! And uh… Never come back! He's a good guy now!"

"You're the most brilliant man in the seas Luffy. That plan has to work." Zoro said in a monotonous tone to mock his captain.

"Oh? Than we should go than." Jango said as he turned to his men, stepping back towards his ship. It suddenly hit him that maybe other people could lie too. Besides, if he left right now it would be a lame ending in this chapter of his life. "You're lying, aren't you?!" He yelled back.

"Ahh! He knows!" Luffy yelled out in surprise.

"Ahh! I know!" Jango yelled back in almost equal surprise. "Come on men, we don't want to disappoint Captain Kuro." Jango said as he pointed to the boy, hording them to attack.

"Did… Did that nearly work?" Zoro asked Luffy in surprise. He didn't receive an answer as Luffy hurled Kuro's dead body towards the pirates.

"Don't worry! He's dead!" Luffy yelled before jumping down.

The crew were all shaking at the sight. They feared their captain, but now he was gone. The only reaction they could have was fear at the young man who apparently killed him. "S-sir. We should just leave." One said weakly as he looked at the body.

Jango could hardly believe the sight. He had briefly suspected Kuro of going soft from the years of inactivity. But to the point of being killed by this teenager? Impossible. He turned to his men and put on a brave enough face to fool them. An army of hypnotized warriors may bring down whoever really killed Kuro. "One. Two. Jango!"

"What the hell is he yelling?" Zoro asked after landing next to his captain. He saw the weird sphinx looking guy trying to give his men a morale boost, but it would take a whole lot to bring them out of seeing their captain die.

"I don't know… Hey! What are you guys doing?!" Luffy yelled at the crew before they released a unified roar of aggression.

"Men! They killed your captain! You will avenge him!" Jango yelled, riling his hypnotized men more and more. He had to act fast and be the forceful push they needed.

They charged at the two men in a blind rage, though they instilled no fear. Luffy formed a sword from the soaked in blood. "Ji-Ken!" He yelled as he took a stance. He was nowhere near Zoro's skill level, but cutting and stabbing were easy enough. He wasn't affected by any attacks and he could make his sword pass through blades, so he had a large advantage.

Zoro smirked at the sight of his captain brandishing a blade. It would really make things interesting for training. "Three Sword Style!" He yelled through gritted teeth. There was quite a lot of men brandishing swords, so it felt appropriate.

The two held their ground and awaited the sloppy attack. The men may have been stronger, but they lost some skill from they hypnotized gaze. Zoro easily defended himself from the attacks with his three swords, barely a nick on his body. Luffy's was in worse shape in that area. Over time those nicks and cuts would have added up to be deleterious to his fighting, but they were quickly healed before the next landed.

"This is no good… Nyanban Brothers!" Jango yelled to the boat, unleashing his secret weapons. "Attack! No time to act!" He ordered, sending the two to fight the enemy without the routine. There was no time to lull them into a false sense of security.

"Zoro?! You okay?!" Luffy yelled out as he saw the pirates start to swarm his comrade. He was put on defense and unable to take out any more that poured in.

"Just. Fine." He grunted through his teeth as he started to push against them more. The fat one of the two brothers pushed through the pack and started his ruthless attack and forced him on defense once more.

"Shishishi. Whatever you say." Luffy laughed as he blocked the claws of the green haired brother. Just because he was invincible to these attacks didn't mean he was just going to get hit. Shanks warned him about always relying on his logia defense in battle. "These guys are annoying though." Luffy said as he let the sword pass through the claws and cut open the cat-man's chest. The urge to take them out with all of their own blood was getting powerful.

"I'll. Say." Zoro panted as glanced at his captain. That power of his was leaving him unscathed through waves of enemies. He didn't think they had this many men, but most all of them had attacked Zoro at the sight of the three swords and more menacing appearance.

"Hey, I'm getting bored now. Can I just take them all out now?" Luffy asked Zoro casually as he approached, bringing the blood of his fallen enemies with him at his heels.

"Fine. Leave the fat one." Zoro said angrily as he stared at the fat bastard who wouldn't let up.

"Shishishi. Thanks!" Luffy held out the sword and started sucking up the blood. "Bloody Valentine!" He yelled before slamming it into the beach. The blood shot out towards the pirates in thin waves before exploding upwards in spikes, penetrating most of them entirely. They fell down on the spikes before Luffy let the spikes turn back to plain blood. The attack left very few survivors, one of which was the fat cat who was now left in a one-on-one fight with an infamous swordsman. "Oh wow! That was so cool! Zoro, did you see that?" He asked his friend before shutting his mouth. He didn't look like he was in a good mood.

"Luffy. That Jango guy is gone." Zoro said through his sword angrily. He didn't need to say anything else before Luffy ran off towards the village in search of the crazy cat guy. "Good. Now I can fight you." Zoro panted before rushing the terrified man. He didn't even need a special attack to take him out on his own. One unified slash at his stupidly exposed stomach and he joined his brother in a blood that connected them. A fitting end for two weirdos.

"Dammit. Dammit." Jango muttered as he stumbled out of the woods. He didn't expect so much as a single opponent, let alone two superhuman fighters to take them all on was a terrible surprise. He broke through the treeline and spotted salvation. Mob justice would be better than another moment dealing with those two.

Luffy ran towards the feeling of blood. It was a single person who was stumbling towards everyone, which meant it was most likely that weird guy. He broke through the treeline himself and stopped Jango in his tracks. "Chi Chi Puppet!" Luffy yelled as he brought his arm down. Some people had gathered around to see the magic trick offered by the stranger, but were now backing away in fear.

"Ahh! Kill him! Kill that boy!" Jango yelled out to the crowd, hoping they were particularly weak minded and his hypnotism worked already. Unfortunately, he wasn't going to get any help.

"That's not nice, weird guy." Luffy said as approached. He got right behind him and brought up a blood made dagger. He could finally taste some blood, even if it was of a crazy person. With a quick cut to the shoulder he licked his lips. "All that fighting made me hungry." Luffy said quite loud, scaring the crowd and Jango. Before he enjoy his catch however, a voice dug into his head.

"Luffy! What are you doing?!" Nami yelled out with a mixture of anger and disgust. She could hardly believe her eyes at the sight of her savior about to go all vampire on some weird looking magician.

"Umm… Nothing." Luffy said, putting his eyes down before scratching his head. That was a bad start if he wanted to get her to be one of his girlfriends. "I uh… Stopped him! And I put some fear into those guys!" Luffy said, pointing at the villagers who, very true to his word, were frozen in fear.

"That doesn't explain why you were looking at him like a steak!" Nami yelled angrily before sighing. "Look just kill him or make him pass out or whatever you do." She had gotten too accustomed to his aggressive nature. She didn't see the value in killing many people, but Luffy had only killed pirates so that made it better. She would need to get away from them fast if she wanted to keep that bit of innocence.

"Fine." Luffy groaned before rushing the blood to his head. This guy didn't actually attack anyone, so ripping him apart was unnecessary. "So, where's Kaya and Usopp? Is Merry okay?" He asked, ignoring the pirate he just incapacitated.

"They're all back at her mansion. They're fine. Come on, let's go. I'd like more pleasant company." Nami said as she stared at the villagers.

"Wooh! Victory lunch!" Luffy yelled as he ran past her and towards the mansion.

"That idiot… He better not let me down." Nami muttered as she slowly walked after him, picturing him above a certain defeated fishman.

* * *

Guest Review- Is the ability to control other people's blood inside of their bodies overpowered? You're damn right it is. Can he do it willy nilly? Not a chance. Luffy talks about how it's taxing to control the blood while still in another person's body. But that's no reason why he shouldn't do it. It's extremely effective at taking down difficult enemies or if he feels extra cruel. He can also only control multiple grunts at a time, not multiple strong enemies.

lennface- Yes, recruitment will be altered. Luffy isn't just a lovable idiot who's getting people off pure charm. He's actually going to appear like a captain to people outside his crew. Sometimes he'll come up with great plans and tactics to save the crew from desperate situations. He'll go to extreme lengths for things they need. He'll be more of an actual pirate captain than the leader of a group of friends. He won't however put them down as less than his friends. His crew, including non-canon ones, will mean a lot to him.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, if Luffy seemed OP, he should. He didn't rip blood from the bodies of people, so he didn't waste as much energy. But anyway, thank you all for reading. Please review and tell me what you think.


	5. Blood Man meets Man Demon

Hello everyone! Wow, this sure has gotten popular. I never expected such great support. Though the last chapter didn't receive as many reviews as I would have thought, it is still greatly supported. I hope everyone understands where I was taking Luffy with this story. Some canon elements spliced with more cruelty and cunning. He's still a bit of a fool, just look at his grandpa, but he can understand a lot more. I'm also adding a bit more non verbal humor. Some of it is pretty lame, but if it gets a giggle out of someone it was worth it. Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece, but I would love this see this fruit in the story.

* * *

Luffy munched down on his meal with gusto. He didn't take control of a lot of people at once, but he needed no excuse for hunger. They were all still surprised at his willingness to eat raw meat. His apparent immunity to blood born diseases was a perk of being made of blood. He was about to dig into another raw steak when Kaya stood to make some type of toast or announcement.

"Luffy, Nami, Zoro… Usopp." Kaya paused her toast to look at him. He was in much higher spirits now that she was safe. It was still hard to believe those three dropped in and rescued them from such a nefarious plot. "Thank you. Especially you Luffy. You not only saved Usopp, you saved everyone. If there's anything I can do for you, please, say the word." She said with a smile as she looked at the boy.

"Hmm… Well, we could use a ship. A big ship! With a big master bedroom!" Luffy yelled triumphantly, picturing a giant ship with his master suite, capable of holding him and however many women he could get to join him. Zoro sweatdropped at the sound of the request. He knew Luffy's intent at a harem.

"Than consider it done. Merry, do you think you could help with that?" Kaya asked her forever faithful companion. He had proved to be the most loyal friend short of Usopp.

"Absolutely, Miss Kaya. Give me a couple of days." Merry said before leaving. He would need to order supplies and hire workers, after drawing up some schematics. Or at least edit them so that the young man could get his master suite.

"Oh! You can do one more thing for me." Luffy said with a big smile, which unnerved Nami and Zoro. Kaya perked up and looked at him. "A kiss would be great."

Nami and Zoro went to hit him in a unified strike of anger for such blatant stupidity, but Luffy didn't feel like rubbing his head after explaining, so he morphed to blood to avoid the blows. "Kiss Usopp so he stops acting like a puppy already! Yassop would thump his nose for not asking you out yet."

Kaya turned a deep shade of red as she looked back between Luffy and Usopp, who looked equally confused. She didn't however waste any time fulfilling his request, surprising Usopp with a warm kiss.

"Shishishi. Matchmaker Luffy." Luffy said with a big smile as they kissed, leaning back in his chair and gnawing on a raw steak. Kaya wouldn't have made a good addition to his girlfriends. Usopp would always be jealous, which means he'd have to hit Usopp a lot. This way, Usopp had a girl and Luffy got to have the rest of them! Nami was still his, or at least would be. Zoro seems more than happy to keep his sword to himself, but he may throw a swordswoman his way. A woman with sharp things in the bedroom was always something he was told to avoid anyway.

Nami looked at Luffy with a little pride. He could spot that those two liked each other and decided to put them together rather than tear them apart. It was better than expected with someone aspiring to be the Pirate King. Though he was still trying to sleep with her naked in bed. That could be a reward for another time. That thought had crept in her head since last night. Her heart would always pump a little faster when he was near. Though that may be his doing with more intent than she would like to believe.

"You sure do make good requests, Luffy." Kaya said with a smile as she turned back towards her friends. Usopp was left frozen in place staring at her. It was quite a sight to see him seemingly frozen in time.

"Glad you agree! Now I have one for Usopp." Luffy said, focusing on the man who slowly thawed out of his time freeze. "Join my crew!" Luffy yelled as Usopp finally snapped out of it.

"You… You want me to join? But. But Kaya?" Usopp turned to her with a frightened and questioning look. Almost asking her permission to sail around the sea as a pirate. He didn't need to wait however.

"Of course we'll join you. I would like to leave this place…" Kaya said, looking out towards the village. It was unfair that they would be nice to her but spit in Usopp's path. They went too far this time. "I'm sure Merry could use a break too. He can be the one taken care of for a change."

"Hurray! Two new crew mates!" Luffy yelled in joy, jumping up at his success. He effectively doubled his crew in swoop. But their was still something eating at him. "So… What can you two do?" He asked, making his other two crew mates sigh. He was going to recruit the entire East Blue without every finding out what they were good at.

"I've been studying medicine. I can help you all stay in good health." Kaya answered with a smile. A girl so ill studying medicine was quite ironic, but now that she was better it did make her a necessity aboard any ship. Only the insane would travel without a doctor. "Oh, I can also cook some things. Merry and I would cook together when I was younger."

"Dr. Chef! So cool!" Luffy yelled out, staring at Kaya in aww. That was quite a combined skill set, even if it was more towards Jack of All Trades rather than Master of One. It was still a combo they would need. His main skill was, after all, killing people. "What about you Usopp? Can you shoot the antennae off of ants?"

"I don't think I've tried, but I am a good shot with my slingshot." Usopp said proudly, despite the sweatdrop Zoro had. He obviously didn't see the power in a well used slingshot, being a man of the sword.

"You will be in charge of shooting people I do not like." Luffy said in his normal peppy and upbeat tone, despite the fact that could very well be an executioner position. Though being executed by a slingshot would undoubtedly be the most humiliating execution on the planet.

"Aye Aye Captain." Usopp responded with a smile. He would fight him for the position of captain if he wasn't so happy he was going to be a pirate and would be with Kaya. That big of a gift would be enough to keep Luffy as captain. Besides, he would be captain if he did anything stupid. He was a natural leader after all!

* * *

A few hours passed and it came time once again to go to bed. Usopp decided it would be best to not try and share a bed with Kaya. It would be quite a forward advance considering they just started their formal relationship. The alternative however ended up being to share a bed with Zoro, who was less than happy with the situation. Especially since right across from them were Luffy and Nami in the same bed. After a long period of silence and the inevitable snoring of two male inhabitants, Nami turned to her captain and currently half nude bed mate. He had decided to slip out of his vest this time in an attempt to fluster her. Somehow it worked.

"Luffy? Are you awake?" Nami whispered to her deathly still friend. He hardly slept, which made talking to him at night easier.

"Huh? Yeah Nami. What's wrong? Want something to eat?" Luffy questioned as he opened his eyes. That was typically why he got up, or stayed up. He shake of the head proved that she had different things in mind.

"Luffy. How strong are you?" Nami questioned shakily. She could hardly believe she was going to ask this. To ask anyone this. But Luffy wasn't anyone. He was an invincible monster who couldn't be hurt, save a punch when he acted like an idiot, but that may be to humor her.

"Huh? Well I can hit stuff pretty hard. Why?" Luffy asked, wanting to know the reason behind this question. He was only given another.

"What would you do for us? For your crew? Your friends…" Nami was hesitant to use the term friends. She was planning to steal from him from the start, but he certainly considered her something more.

"If you were hungry, I'd share my meat." Luffy responded as if it were some philosophical wisdom. However it was. That was quite a leap for the ever hungry man. If he would do that, not much else would be out of reach.

"Than. I want you to help me. Like you helped Kaya and Usopp." Nami said, looking away from him as she started to move her sleeve.

Luffy stared in awe at Nami as she unknowingly sent his brain into overdrive with thoughts. Her next action stopped it. There was a tattoo on her shoulder, one he surprisingly recognized. Arlong was a well known pirate in this sea. He was able to find out about him before he left. His reputation was less than admirable. No marine who frequented the East Blue could or would touch him. Another reason Luffy hated the marines. They only did their job when it was easy.

"Could you kill Arlong? If you two fought, could you promise me you'd win?" Nami was softly crying as she asked him. It hurt to bare her soul to him. To finally let the dam break and let her feelings flow. She wanted Arlong dead more than she wanted the sun to rise in the morning. If Luffy could do it, he would be a godlike entity in her eyes.

"Shishishi. Lose to a fish? Come on Nami, you know I'd kick his ass." Luffy said with another big smile. This obviously meant a lot to Nami, which meant he would take care of it. "I'll rip him to shreds for you."

Nami started to weep and pulled Luffy in close, burying her face in his chest to muffle the sound. Luffy instinctively hugged her to comfort her. It still felt weird to hug a girl. Especially a crying girl. A crying friend. But she eased up on the crying from it, so it must be working.

Nami wiped her eyes and looked up at the boy. He showed no fear or doubt. He was fully willing to fight the most powerful pirate in the sea because she wanted him to. With a quick pull on his shoulders she scooted up in the bed and planted a kiss on his lips.

Despite Luffy's dream of being the Pirate King and having all the treasures, power, and freedom the world could offer, and his idea of having a large harem of the most beautiful women on the seas, he had no experience with girls outside of a few awkward talks with Dadan, Makino, and Shanks. Kissing was a thing and was a good start for a girlfriend. He also knew about the bird and the bees and the bears. What he didn't know was how you got from point A to point B. He pushed his lips back and mimicked her movements as best as he could manage. It was a bit of an awkward kiss, but warranted for a first.

"Thank you Luffy. I don't know if I can ever repay you." Nearly a hundred million beli in savings and she couldn't think of a single way to pay back the favor. All the treasure in all the blues could be at his feet and she'd find more. Though from how some pirates were she'd be on top of that pile in some gold bikini or something.

"Shishishi. You're my friend, no need to repay me." Luffy responded honestly, though a thought crept into his brain. "But you could be my first girlfriend. The King of the Pirates needs a lot of them, and you could be the first." Luffy's follow up may have hurt his game under regular circumstances, but he did just agree to kill an evil fishman dictator.

"A lot of girlfriends? What do you mean?" Nami could feel a kind of throbbing pain in her heart. She wanted to be his girlfriend. But being just another one in the crowd would be a hard thing to deal with. It was only thankful that Arlong considered human's a subspecies not worthy of his… company, that she wasn't one already. "I don't know if I want to be just another girlfriend Luffy…"

"What do you mean? You'd be my first girlfriend. That's pretty memorable. Besides, why wouldn't I want a big harem? Especially filled with women as pretty as you."

Luffy's simplistic view on the ordeal provided Nami with some comfort. He would probably just gawk and show off most of the women he got, at least later on. But being forgotten would definitely not happen if she agreed. That however did leave one question. Would it be better to share him, or not have him at all? The question was answered with one reassuring smile before she made it form a pair of puckered lips. "I'd love to be your first, Luffy." Nami said, smiling at her own clever little line.

Luffy wanted to yell in celebration, but that would be rude. That and he would probably deafen his first girlfriend. He instead opted to give her another big kiss and pull her in for a hug. He was however able to elicit a small scream of surprise from her.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Nami whisper yelled as Luffy tossed his shorts off of the bed and sprawled out on his side of the bed. She couldn't believe that moments after she agreed to be his girlfriend he expected them to just have-

"Well it's rude to sleep in bed naked with a crew mate. It's fine do it with a girlfriend, right?" Luffy asked, looking at her as if he had done nothing wrong. It was arguably true considering his intent was only to sleep in the buff, but that may just be because him getting his way was a reoccurring theme since she had joined the crew.

"Fine, but don't jab me with your thing while I sleep." Nami could hardly believe that was a sentence she needed to say to her captain, yet there it went. Out of her mouth and into the world forever. It would be sad if it weren't such a happy occasion.

"Shishishi. No promises. I do have a bit more blood than most people, so it's gotta go somewhere." Luffy teased as he pulled the covers up a bit. Smiling at a blush on her face so bright he could almost see it in the dark.

* * *

The next few days were, for the most part, uneventful. Luffy got to enjoy one of his favorite pastimes, messing with villagers. He'd spend hours in a nearby tree, messing with their blood for the sheer fun of it. It did however give him more practice with his power. Surely not every logia fought with element like he did. Ace surely didn't. But he didn't know anyone with actual fire pumping through their veins so that may make the difference. He did know he wouldn't trade his power in for any other. Being able to make a man lock up in the legs and fall over was just too funny. Being functionally invincible and being able to play jokes on people? Best power ever.

The ship was complete. It was Merry's Magnum Opus. His pride and jow. It had a lamb on it for crying out loud! The ship was of slightly larger proportions than initially intended. It had to be fitted with a large master, or rather captain, suite for Luffy and his "Cute Girlfriends" to sleep in. For Kaya and Usopp's sake their was still a women's dorm and a men's dorm so she wouldn't have to bunk in the Pirate King sized bed with Luffy. Though it was only a couple of beds, there was heavy doubt too many women would join without Luffy trying to get them. Men's dorms were standard for all intents and purposes. A few hammock's for however many crew mates he would like.

"So cool!" Luffy yelled as he launched himself up and onto the ship. He started looking around every nook and cranny before Merry could even start to discussing the features. Luffy would likely find them all before he could finish talking. In fact, just as he started discussing the steering, Luffy bounded back out and snatched Nami off her feet. "Come look at our room! It's huge!" He said before rocketing back on the ship with legs spewing blood. It almost made Merry faint from the sight of a boy using his own blood as a rocket booster, but he did see a man tear his own insides out, so it was tame in comparison.

Zoro was confused by one thing however. They would share a bed? Those two were hanging out with Kaya and Usopp a lot, sure, but that meant they were a couple? Kaya seemed disappointed in his ignorance when he asked them about it, but it couldn't be helped. The poor swordsman didn't have a woman yet. They explained the situation as best as they could, but left the details out.

"I'm glad you two have decided to go together. Do be safe, Miss Kaya." Merry said to his longtime friend, fighting the tears in his eyes. He didn't expect to see her leave, but he wouldn't stop her. She was finally happy again. "And you, Young Usopp." Merry refocused his attention on the young man by her side. He was prepared to give a long and threatening speech about how he needed to protect her, but he knew it was unnecessary. He told those stories to her to cheer her up and seem like a brave man. He could merely prove it now. "Treat her well."

"Of course, Merry. Take care." Usopp said with a smile. He wanted to say more, but it wouldn't help. Long speeches were for his crew now. Besides, he didn't want to cry in front of Kaya anymore. Not over something as silly as leaving his home and friends behind… Holding his tears back was getting a lot more difficult.

Kaya on the other hand didn't hold back. She cried and hugged him, barely able to speak. She was leaving an entire life behind to start a new one. In doing so, she was leaving behind one of her best friends. "I'll miss you Merry. Live a good life, okay? You let me live one."

Merry let the tears flow as he hugged his surrogate daughter. He didn't want any harm to come to her. He wanted to protect her from the cold world. She had already lost her parents, now she was journeying out with pirates. But she was journeying with friends. "You too, Miss Kaya. Always be happy that you have such great friends."

It was another few minutes of tears and hugging before Zoro started to drag Usopp up on the ship. His screams of distress got Kaya's attention, and she hastily hurried to the ship to get the brute to lighten up on her storybook boyfriend.

"Bye Merry! Thank you for everything!" Luffy yelled from the ship back to the former butler, now multimillionaire. He did have a confusing look as three children ran up beside the lamb man brandishing wooden swords and yelling about kidnapping their captain. "Hey, Usopp. You know those kids?" Luffy asked Usopp, who was crying as he gritted his teeth.

"Usopp Pirates! You are disbanded! Fight for what you love! Defend your homes!" Usopp yelled, ordering his former men to protect their families. He hadn't seen them in days, likely because of their families, but it certainly wasn't their fault. The three were left crying as they waved goodbye to their captain.

"Wow… Heavy departure…" Luffy said plainly as he looked towards the island. He was no stranger to sad goodbyes. Ace's departure brought tears. Sabo's brought outright heartbreak. But it's not like anyone died, besides people who deserved to anyway, so their were more important things. "Kaya! I'm hungry!" Luffy yelled, completely disregarding the sad mood when his stomach growled.

"Do you even need to tell us Luffy? You can eat steak raw." Nami said, emphasizing the can portion of the sentence to make sure he would grasp that he shouldn't do it too often. But if he was going to bother them constantly for food, it would help sometimes.

"So? I don't want to all the time. Variety slices up rice, Nami." Luffy said, stumbling through a quote he heard once, a long time ago.

"I don't think that's the saying Luffy, but I'll cook you something." Kaya said before heading to the kitchen. It would keep her mind occupied and off of the departure.

"Dr. Chef saves the day!" Luffy yelled out, rushing to the kitchen behind her. He wanted food and he wanted it fast.

* * *

Aimlessly sailing around the sea was, for lack of better terminology, boring. Luffy was anxious to arrive at their next destination. From his understanding, they would go kick some fish guy's ass off of his body! Actually, maybe not. Did fishmen have butts? Did they poop? Luffy took a mental note to make sure whether or not fishmen poop before kicking their ass off of their body. If they didn't poop, he'd need to kick some other part off.

To pass some time, Luffy and Usopp decided to test out the cannons on board. They doubted they'd ever actually use them. Luffy was more the up close and rip your insides out kind of fighter than real nautical combat, so his skill with a ranged weapon was very poor. One thing stopped Usopp from firing his next shot however. While he was an expert sniper, Luffy still had the ability to feel where people were, and two were on the rock they were about to use for target practice. "Hey! Why are you guys on a rock?!" Luffy yelled to the two unseen men.

"We need help! Please!" A voice yelled back desperately. Luffy ordered them to steer a little closer to pick them up. Two people on a rock in the middle of the sea would make a terrible duo to try and rob pirates. Especially a sniper, a fiery redhead, a green haired swordsman, a chef doctor, and a Blood Man.

Luffy helped them up as best as he could without terrifying the two. With a quick pull they were up on the ship, a little worse for wear. One far worse than the other. He couldn't stand on his own and his teeth were falling out. A quick cough of blood and Luffy could tell he needed food. He didn't know the exact way he could examine the blood, it just felt like it was missing something most blood had. "Kaya! We need help! He's dying!"

"What?!" She yelled in shock as she rushed to the man. She hadn't been out to sea a day and someone was already dying. With a quick examination she determined what was wrong with him. It was one of the easiest things to fix on the seas. Scurvy. She ordered them to fetch some limes and lemons. One to cure it, the other to scare the lesson into him that he needed more Vitamin C. She enough with a squeeze of a few limes and one particularly sour lemon, he was up and dancing, albeit with a concave mouth. The sudden recovery shocked the doctor chef, the slightly experienced navigator, and the blood captain who had just examined the vitamin depleted blood moments ago.

"So who are you guys anyway? Why were you on a rock?" Luffy asked as they stopped dancing. Or rather, stopped their dancing by asking them.

"I'm Johnny! and I'm Yosaku!" The two said as if they were preparing to reveal a team name. "We crashed on that rock not too long ago. Thank you for saving my bro!" Johnny said, rushing to bow to Luffy, over, and over.

"Nice to meet you guys than! I'm Luffy, that's Kaya, Nami, Usopp, and... Hey, where's?" Before Luffy could ask, the two wayward strangers rushed them.

"Thank you Big Sis Kaya! Thank you Big Bro Luffy!" The two yelled out, each hugging one of the aforementioned people then switching out. The yawn of a swordsman however brought them away from the two, to their relief. "Big Bro Zoro! You're here too!" They yelled in unison before rushing towards him.

"Johnny? Yosaku? What are you two doing out here?" Zoro asked, rubbing his eyes and trying to focus. He had missed the scurvy fiasco entirely and was now questioning why the sudden appearance of two old friends.

"Well we were trying to go to this restaurant ship, the Baratie, for some food, but apparently some pirates were about to attack and, well, no pirate has ever been too friendly with bounty hunters. But what are you doing here Big Bro?"

"I'm a pirate." Zoro said with a smile, making them shake just a bit from what they just said. That meant they were on a pirate ship.

Something they said caught Luffy's attention. Food? Yes of course, but more. Pirates and Attack. A fight! "Do you know where this Baratie is? I like food." Luffy said, burying the more sinister reason. A good old fashion blood bath. In the sea. Where he couldn't actually get in. Well he couldn't a bath anyway. A good old fashioned blood shower.

"We can probably figure our way back, but we don't know why you would. It was a pretty big fish after the ship, Don Krieg." Johnny informed them as Yosaku fetched another lime.

"I think I've heard of that guy… He likes shiny stuff and throws his men at his problems. Lots and lots of men." Luffy informed his crew. Typically something like that would scare a crew. Don Krieg was pound for pound more powerful than Arlong. But that's only counting the pounds of his fifty ships worth of men. But if anything Luffy thrived in combat against multiple enemies. If Krieg had all of his ship, Luffy would probably rip them all apart. His power could be compared to a terrifying snowball rolling down a mountain, building up strength as it goes. Except with Luffy, it's a mountain of blood.

"Yeah. You'd be crazy to take him on." They said, though his crew knew immediately where this was headed.

"We're so going to fight that guy." Luffy said with a smile before climbing up on the figurehead. He didn't even bother turning around when he yelled. "Nami! Set sail towards wherever the Baratie is!"

"Aye Aye, Captain." Nami muttered as she walked to the rudder, dragging the two guests with her for directions. She couldn't believe she hadn't heard of this place yet. More importantly, she couldn't believe Luffy would take a detour on killing Arlong to go stop this Krieg guy from taking a restaurant. At least it was valiant of him, unless he just wanted free food.

'Shishishi. Free food and I get to fight an army, my life is great.' Luffy thought as he straddled the lamb's head, looking down at the water and feeling all the aquatic life just below.

* * *

Hours passed. Boring hours to Luffy. He was promised a battle with the most powerful pirate crew in the entire blue. Every second not punching or stabbing a guy was time wasted in his opinion. But luckily he saw something in the distance. It was a marine ship. A big one at that. Luffy decided to act natural. So he walked to the railing and yelled at a bunch of marines as they all ate around a man tied to the mast. "Hey! You guys seen a restaurant ship?!" Luffy asked, making them all lose focus.

"Yes. Great food, terrible service." A bandaged and bruised pink haired man said, eying the ship. "Are you pirates looking for it?"

"Yeah, we heard some Krieg guy was going to attack it. I wanna fight him." Luffy answered happily, shocking the entire marine ship. Luffy then started to understand why they weren't there to protect it. They were scared of Krieg. "You guys chicken or something?"

"Luffy! Don't insult the marines like that!" Usopp yelled in anger and fear at his captain, who was poking the bull with a very pointy stick.

"We are not chicken, pirates. I'll prove it. Open fire on their ship." The captain said almost apathetically. He was obviously in no mood to deal with them any longer, which was very bad for their sake.

"If any of you do that, I'll beat the crap out of everyone aboard your ship." Luffy said coldly at the pink haired weirdo, who stopped to look at him. His men looked at him questioningly before he motioned for them to fire the cannons. "Hey guys, I'll be right back." Luffy said with a smile before hopping on the railing and launching to the ship.

The marines all pointed their rifles in unison at the boy. At least two dozen had encircled him, which only made Luffy smile. They shouted a threat at him, then ordered him to leave, but he started laughing. "I bet you could all fire at once and still miss me." Luffy said, taunting them still. He knew precisely what would happen when they fired, and it would be hilarious.

They took the bait like it was live duck. They fired in relative unison, only three saved from being shot by a comrade, even though they ended up shooting them. Luffy laughed, some of those shots really did miss, but most passed clean through him and into the person opposite of them. "Wow marines are dumb. This will be too easy." Luffy said as he absorbed the blood of those shot. His luck that two of them were matching blood types, so that could be a reserve. "Chi Chi Shards!" Luffy yelled as he launched some blood made daggers at charging marines. His body had slowed the bullets down to flesh wounds, and the shards weren't too deep, though one may have have gotten a guy in the thigh and scared him to unconsciousness. All of these guys were just morons following what could be Coby's long lost dad. Luffy squatted ever so slightly to secure his position as a lot of swordsmen charged him. His fists were sure to beat their swords.

Fullbody himself joined the fray as the main infantry were brought down by nothing but a fast series of punches. Gatling seemed an appropriate term for that flurry. Fullbody thought he would obviously have an advantage in a bout of fisticuffs. Luffy opted to humor him and not launch a storm of fists. Simple boxing, with a guy with iron knuckles. He ducked down under the swing and jabbed him right in the gut. He felt blood seeping inside. Whoever kicked his ass before did it well. Some internal bleeding he could focus his hits on. Fullbody felt the errors of his ways as the body blows kept rolling in. He could take down most people with one punch, but if he could never land it that meant nothing. One last _Strong Right!_ , and he was on the ground, gripping his stomach and coughing up blood. Luffy's fist had finally done the trick and his small intestine had finally burst. Luffy stood over him and roared out triumphantly, scaring the rest of the marines on the ship. Unfortunately for them, he didn't want to be made a liar. Their was no where to run from the monster. His fists rocketed towards every marine he could find and connected with their face or something much more fragile, but at least their was no bone in that part of the body to break. Luffy was confident no marine on the ship would attack them again, but there was a captive left to deal with. "Oi, who are you?" Luffy asked the weak, almost dead man.

"Gin. Please. Do you have food? And some water?" Gin pleaded with the monster. He was getting ready to embrace death, but this was a slim chance at survival.

"Sure. Doctor Chef Kaya! We have a patient who needs food, stat!" Luffy yelled back at his ship before cutting his bindings with a clotted blood finger. Luffy assisted him back to his ship and brought him immediately to the kitchen for treatment.

"Thank you all so much. This food is delicious." Gin said as he hungrily shoveled food in his mouth. Kaya instinctively went to cook him some more. She could keep them fed, but the finer things escaped her skill level. "I can't thank you enough."

"Shishishi. You're hungry right? That stuff sucks. I can't stand being hungry." Luffy said, shocking everyone by offering him his plate as well. The overwhelming amount of kindness caused their guest to weep into his meal.

"No one's ever been this nice to me. Thank you." Gin choked out as he hid his face, not wanting his saviors to see him cry. He was a demon with ice in his veins. Though after watching that boy, he may need to rethink his title.

"Oh don't worry about it, no point in leaving you there after all." Luffy said with a smile, digging into his plate of food with just as much gusto as a starving man. "You wanna join our crew? Something tells me you're a pretty tough dude for them to have captured and tortured you like that."

"I'm sorry, but I'm already in a crew." Gin replied, solemnly. He would have undoubtedly joined the boy if it weren't for his prior commitment to the greatest pirate he'd ever known.

"Who's crew?" Luffy asked, cocking his head as he usually did.

"I am a Commander of the Krieg Pirates. Right hand of Don Krieg, the man who will become the Pirate King."

* * *

LongPastMidnight- Two Part response. First of all, that was the immense power of the fruit forcing the blood out of you as you read it. If your nose bleed lasts longer than four hours, Luffy is trying to make you faint. Secondly, here's some even more canon altering greetings! Kinda cook blocked you all there, didn't I? Gin however now has a greater appreciation for Luffy.

Justafan- I played with the idea, but that would be far too powerful. I'd need to change this to a GodLike! Luffy instead of just OP! Luffy. To keep blood it must be the same type. He can however store non-B type (non-F depending on your typing system.) temporarily for battles. There's also three type O blood type members should anyone suffer blood loss and need some replacement.

Chimera629- If you want to complain about that, send your complaints to Oda first. If a rubber man can be hurt by her punches and sanji's kicks (Various other blunt force as well) so can a blood man. It was not in the midst of a heavy battle and as such should not hurt the flow that much. As for his intelligence, he's still Luffy. The kid who thought stabbing himself would make pirates let him join. He's going to learn from his mistakes as he goes. He'll do some sill and admittedly stupid things, mainly because he doesn't need to worry about physical harm as much when he's having fun.

Okay, notes on this chapter. Kaya will not be replacing Sanji or Chopper in any sense of the word. Her skills are best described as just above the other members of the crew in terms of cooking and medical care. Setting broken bones and knowing when the food is safe to eat are some examples. She doesn't have much in terms of combat skills, so don't expect her to rush in and save the day. Think of her as a battle nurse who can make cookies. I considered leaving her out, but it didn't seem right. Usopp would want her to go. Besides, if Luffy can't have Every girl, he may as well keep the guys from being single. Sanji will be a different story. Ero-captain vs. Ero-cook. Who will win? (Hint, Sanji will never get a harem in one of my stories. The spread of STD's is no laughing matter and should be prevented. Wear a condom and don't have sex with anyone with eyebrows that curly. That's a sure sign of Hepatitis A-Z)


	6. War of Blood and Fear

Hello everyone! Wow, this story has gotten really popular. Now I'm sure a lot of people have been hoping for a display of Luffy's power. What he can do when he really really wants to kill people. This is precisely that. Warning, Luffy will be OP. Extremely OP. I won't be getting into the why, that'll be up to you to read. But I do hope you enjoy it. Also, Luffy could be considered semi OOC during the fights. This is the nature of his new character. His mixture of sadism and joy will return, I promise. Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece.

* * *

Luffy's eye twitched at the declaration from the man he saved. His crew looked at him with a certain level of fear. Like he'd rip the guy apart just for saying it. But Luffy surprised them all when he started to laugh. "You must really like this guy. Sorry I'll have to kick his ass, but I'm going to be the King of the Pirates." Luffy said confidently as he plopped in a seat across from him and snatched up a raw steak he had waiting for him. If Kaya was going to be busy cooking Gin food, Luffy didn't have time to wait.

Gin stared daggers at Luffy. He didn't like the threat to his captain, but he was on another pirate's ship, so it could be forgiven. "Well you sure hold yourself high to beat the most powerful person in East Blue. I welcome the challenge, but we will beat you." Gin smiled a bit before Luffy started to eat his raw steak. He had done some pretty ruthless things, so if this kid was trying to scare him, it wasn't working. But wringing out the blood in a glass and drinking it was pushing the envelope for even his taste. Vampires shouldn't be out at day. Or at night either. The moon reflects sunlight.

"Yeah, you can try. But I doubt he'll be too much of a threat if he's resorted to attacking little restaurants." Luffy laughed softly at his jab at Gin's captain.

"Well he's trying to rebuild his fleet than. He lost half of his fleet when he sent a scouting party into the Grand Line. But even with twenty five ships he's still the strongest pirate in the sea." Gin defended his captain with gusto, however it backfired.

"He lost twenty five ships?!" Most of the crew yelled in unison at just how dangerous the Grand Line was. If it was a scouting party they probably weren't in there a week. Luffy didn't see this as a testament to the dangers of the Grand Line. "So you're all that weak? Now I know I could beat you." Luffy laughed at the fate of half of the Krieg Pirates. Completely annihilated so quickly. They were either weak or dumb. Or most likely both.

"Don Krieg himself would have made it easily! He just wants to get more men before we go and conquer the line." Gin said, trying to convince himself more than them. All of his efforts were to keep his men alive, he didn't even know if anyone was left from the trip. So many died from some angel of death in a floating coffin.

"Shishishi. Whatever you say. We're going to go kick his ass anyway. I guess you'll be fighting me than." Luffy said with a smile, sticking out his hand. Normally he wouldn't be this respectable. But Gin was a loyal crew member to that Krieg guy, even in the face of nothing but enemies. It took Kintama.

"I suppose we will… I never did catch your name. Any of you." Gin said, looking around at the people who had saved him. Even with the assurance that they would be enemies, they all smiled.

"I'm Nami, the World's Best Navigator." "I'm Roronoa Zoro, and I'm going to be the World's Greatest Swordsman." "I'm Usopp, Brave Warrior of the Sea." "I'm Kaya, Adventurer." "And I'm Monkey D. Luffy, Future King of the Pirates." They all introduced themselves to their enemy with big smiles. The trio of weaklings were taken aback by it, but Gin seemed to befriend Luffy right away. That was all they needed.

"I am Gin, the Man-Demon. I hope you reconsider fighting Don Krieg. Just, leave him alone." Gin didn't ask any of them to change their minds. It would do no good. But if he could just convince them to ignore Krieg, they may yet live.

"You worry about that when we get there." Luffy said with a laugh before hearing the word Bro being yelled at them. They all walked outside of the kitchen to see what the hell they were yelling about. Sure enough, it was worth the term 'Bro.' Twenty five large ships headed by a massive Galleon. Everyone but Gin and Luffy stared in awe at the fleet. Gin and Luffy's attention were on the meager looking fish restaurant surrounded by purple clouds. Gin immediately knew what it was, and stared in horror.

"He used MH-5? That place couldn't have a force near what we have." Gin commented mostly to himself at the sign of chemical warfare. Krieg would typically only bring that out on the toughest or largest of armadas. This was overkill. Even compared to villages they attacked and flooded with gas. Those people stood to fight them on land.

"I'm going to enjoy this." Luffy coldly as he stared towards the flagship. They were slowly drifting closer, and he could feel their blood. It was overwhelming to have a couple thousand people around at once, but it was certainly interesting. "Hey Gin, you can swim right?" Luffy asked as he hopped on the railing.

"Yeah. Wait Why?!" He asked with a yell as Luffy grabbed his arm.

"I may need to drop you off." Luffy said with a smile before launching out towards the armada. Gin was left grabbing what remained of his leg for support. The force behind using his legs as rockets was enough to let them sail over the poison and onto one of the ships. Though at first they received a variety of weapons pointed at them from the commotion. At least neither ended up in the ocean.

* * *

"Gin? You're alive!" The crew yelled as they started to point their guns down. It was a weird relief to see the Man-Demon again. He was just as brutal to them as their enemies, but Krieg used him more on the latter. "Don Krieg, sir! Gin is back!" One of the men yelled as he ran to starboard. Luffy pouted when he realized he wasn't on the flagship, but at least he was only one away.

"Than tell him to get over here! I need that scouting report!" Krieg yelled back angrily, showing little compassion at the return of his most valuable pirate. Luffy frowned at the sound of his order. It was shameful to not even be thankful he was alive.

"Right away, sir!" Gin yelled before ordering the navigator to steer them closer so he could jump to the ship and give his report. Luffy sighed and launched towards the ship with Gin in tow, dragging him through the air with the grace of a flailing child. He would really need to get used to that. With a large thud they landed on the deck of the Dreadnaught Sabre, flagship of the Krieg Pirates.

"Gin, who is this boy?" Krieg asked, focusing his attention on the boy by Gin's side. Everyone on board knew that being the center of Krieg's focus was like being the target in a firing range and backed away from the stranger. Except for Gin, who put himself between Krieg and Luffy in a subconscious attempt to protect his rescuer.

"This is Lu-"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm going to be King of the Pirates." Luffy said, stepping out from behind Gin. If Krieg attacked him, it was all the excuse he needed to rip his fleet to shreds.

Krieg started to laugh from the boy's insolence. Staring face to face with the most powerful pirate in the sea and he had the kintama to say such blasphemy. "Quite the moron you've found, Gin. But I'll deal with him later. What did you learn in the line? What happened to my ships?"

"You… You don't know sir? We were wiped out by some monster. He showed up and… He cut our ships apart sir." Gin could hardly speak clearly as he gave his improper report. Luffy put a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. Hugging would be the usual go to, but Krieg didn't seem like a big hugger so it may be weird.

"What the hell do you mean, cut?! Did you lose your mind on that sea?! A man can't just cut ships!" Krieg yelled furiously at his subordinate. This kind of nonsense info was useless to him. He sent those ships to see if he was ready to bring his reign on the Grand Line rather than this weak sea. The mere notion of a man cutting apart twenty five ships was pure insanity.

"This was more than a man! He carried a black sword and sailed on single man ship! He launched giant cuts that tore through our ships. Sir, we lost all of our ships within a week." Gin declared to Krieg as loud as he could. His men needed to know that they weren't ready for that sea. Not yet. They'd need get every possible ship and pirate they could just to hope to survive.

"Stop talking nonsense just to make up for incompetence. We have a ship to add to our fleet." Krieg said as he stomped towards the raving underling. "That ship is commanded by Red Leg Zeff, former pirate on the Grand Line. When we get his Log Book, we'll know everything we need about the Grand Line. Your failed scouting expedition may yet be salvaged." Krieg handed Gin a pair of replacement Tonfas and pointed at the fish ship. "If any of them are left alive in there, fix it." Krieg ordered before looking at the stranger. "Now, boy, did you rescue Gin?"

"Yeah. Some marines had him tied up to the mast and were eating food in front of him. He didn't seem to have been fed in days. I don't think he should be fight-"

One quick move of the arm and Krieg wielded his derringer, one quick squeeze and a bullet went through Luffy's stomach. The quick movement of the action let it actually hit him, but the wound healed within moments. Luffy however knew no normal person would react that way and gripped his stomach, feigning pain as he coated his hand in blood.

"You do not get to tell me what my men should do! I am Don Krieg, most feared pirate of the sea!" The rectangle headed man yelled in anger at the boy. The news that half of his fleet was lost in a single weak had angered him, but his ego was as strong as ever.

"Ha… So scary." Luffy said, coughing up some blood on the deck. He was greatly outnumbered, but nowhere near outmatched. May as well have some fun. "I bet I can be scarier." Luffy said, standing up straight rather than doubling over his nonexistent wound.

Krieg fired once more at the pest, hitting him square in the chest. Blood shot back as the boy gripped the bullet wound. "Unless my men are scared of dead bodies, you won't even faze them." Krieg said with a smile as Luffy fell back.

Only one person got to see Luffy's smirk as he landed on his back and turned into a pool of blood. It splashed on everyone but Krieg and Gin, who were the only ones not on the verge of throwing up.

"Don Krieg… What did you do? Luffy saved my life, he didn't deserve.. That…" Gin had never been explained Luffy's power, so he didn't get to experience what Luffy's other friends would in that situation. Dread was the overwhelming feeling within him now. The only person to ever show him kindness just experienced a death so grimsly that it liquified his body. Krieg couldn't even climb to the top on a mountain of dead bodies if this was his ability. It would be a sea of blood.

* * *

A sea of blood would be the perfect term to describe what Luffy would leave behind. All the blood he scattered bored into the unprotected flesh of the pirates on the deck. Men screamed in pain and horror as they were attacked by blood. In the midst of it all something arose from a puddle in the center, where Luffy initially landed. As more men fell to the ground, either dead or on the verge, blood came to it and it grew more and more. It was a tall human shaped being of blood. There was no sign that it was the happy go lucky boy from just moments before. There was no warm smile that comforted those who needed it. No wide eyes looking at everything with excitement. The eyes that formed were barely human. Red orbs that bore fear in the minds of a Man-Demon and a Heartless Captain. As the last man hit the floor, familiar features returned. Shaggy black hair, a scar under his eye, a mouth pulled back in a smirk. The one thing that remained was his eyes. Cold, Red, and Unblinking. "Told you I'm scarier."

Krieg stared in horror as the blob turned to the human he swore he just killed. He had lost dozens of men in moments because of this monster. This demon. He shakily stepped back, thinking of what weapon could possibly stop him. "What are you?!" Krieg yelled in desperation before unleashing every weapon he had on him.

A dozen guns firing in unison at the boy. They didn't even phase the boy. Or rather, they phased right through him. Luffy laughed at him. A deep gargling laugh of a man laughing through blood. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy. I'm going to be Pirate King." Luffy said before looking around. "Chi Chi Theft." Luffy said calmly, sticking out his hand and absorbing all of the blood he had spilled. He had an overwhelming sense of calm amongst the devastation. He could feel the blood moving in most everyone nearby. Over two thousand blood sacks waiting for him.

"All men target this thing! Use every weapon you have! I will not let it win!" Krieg yelled with such intent that his vocal cords nearly tore. He couldn't yell louder if his own mother was being shot right in front of him. He needed to wipe this thing off of the planet fast.

Gin was frozen. Be it out of fear or wonder, he couldn't tell, but it was crippling. Luffy couldn't even be a human being, yet he spared him. His crew wasn't as lucky. At least none of them seemed to suffer. He went for quick, albeit bloody, kills. That mystery man had cut them apart at random. So many men drowned because of injuries, so this was comparatively mercy.

"Shishishi. You've lost one bet already." Luffy said as he walked towards Krieg. He wasn't worried about an attack from him. Those guns kinda tickled. But he couldn't take out the other ships from there. "I bet I'll win." Luffy said before launching at the nearest ship in a streak of blood. He made sure to bring it back with him as he launched, conserving all of his weaponry as he could.

"Gin! Stop standing around! We need to kill that boy!" Krieg yelled at the Man-Demon with obvious fear in his voice. He had no idea how he could fight him at this point, but surely if they all focused fire he wouldn't stand a chance. "Get every ship we have. I'm going to order the men below deck to target whatever ship he's on. He will not leave here alive."

"Yes Sir." Gin said as he ran towards the opposite ship. It tore at his insides to follow that order. Krieg attacked first and unprovoked, but it wasn't the first time. He would just need to get Luffy quickly. No one else needed to die.

* * *

Meanwhile, aboard the Going Merry.

"Big Bro Zoro, where did Big Bro Luffy go?" Johnny asked Zoro as the looked at the fleet of ships before them. They had just been floating there, staring at the scene. Nothing was happening, at least nothing anyone could see.

"Well, if I know Luffy, he's attacking the strongest pirate crew in the sea single handed, and we're all going to wait around." Zoro said as he stared into the distance. He had learned to not worry too much about what Luffy was doing. If he wanted to take them all on, he wasn't going to be talked out of doing it. Helping would probably be suicide. Each of those ships had to have at least a hundred men on board. The most they could do was wait, or maybe go to that restaurant. The poison had finally dissipated and made it safe to approach. At very least its enclosed design made it safer to be in than their exposed Caravel when it came to that poison.

Nami sailed them towards the waiting vessel with care. They would need to be close if they wanted to rush on. At least it had drifted away from the giant mass of death that was still waiting for them. They all rushed and started to pound on the boarded up entry way. Every nook and cranny had been sealed, most likely after hearing about or seeing the poison. If it worked, they'd still be alive and they could rescue them all while Luffy distracted the fleet. If not, maybe they had some savings stored in a chest somewhere. Either way, it was worth trying.

"Let us in! We're here to help!" Nami yelled at the door, awaiting a response from inside. If anyone inside was alive, tearing down their protection could make them attack. Or worse, give the pirates an opening to which they could launch more poison. Luckily for them, the cries of a woman's voice pierced the ears of a valiant prince who could let no woman be left outside to the terrible menace.

"Beautiful maiden! Let me help you!" A voice yelled as some of the boards were removed from the wall. Yelling about dirty tricks boomed from the inside, but the voice cursed them all for suggesting any woman should be left outside during this siege. When the blonde haired chef saw no pirates awaiting them, but instead a beautiful orange haired woman, he kicked the rest of the barricade down with a single movement to allow her access. "Get inside you beautiful damsel you!" He yelled with hearts in his eyes. When some more men followed in after, he was less than pleased, but another blonde woman perked his spirit.

"So you're not pirates. That's good. Sanji would kick us all to death if we had to kill you. At least, you two." The bearded man with a peg leg said to the group, then specified that the two women would bring him distress.

"You won't dare hurt those beauties old man!" Sanji yelled defiantly. "I won't let you be hurt, my ladies." Sanji slid to them with a rose between his teeth, arms spread to accept their loving embrace.

"Umm… Right… We need to get out of here. Our captain is distracting Krieg so you can all join us and we can get out of here." Nami tried to ignore the advances of the young man and focus on the people trapped inside.

"We aren't going anywhere. We plan to fight those damn… What do you mean your captain is distracting them?" The bearded man in charge had to question what the hell one person could be doing to distract twenty five ships worth of bloodthirsty pirates.

"Based on the yelling I heard, he's tearing them apart." Zoro said with a smirk, shocking the people. He didn't look down on them for hiding. You can't cut poison till it stops after all. But Luffy wouldn't be slowed down by anything, and it made these guys look weak in comparison.

"Well I'm not being showed up in front of these beautiful ladies. Let's go kick these guy's asses." Sanji said, trying to rile the chef's up. The plan was to wait out their poison until they started to attack man to man. They showed too much interest in it to blow it to shreds, so they would definitely try to board. None of them would dare leave their only home.

"How do you plan to do that? This isn't a Man of War, dammit. We have to wait for them, and we're not going anywhere." The old man declared, walking back to his seat. Waiting for the moment he'd need to go and defend his home.

"Ugh! Dammit!" Sanji kicked a table to splinters as he walked away, earning some threats from the chefs. It was astonishing that they could bicker over the interior when they were on the verge of being attacked.

* * *

Or rather, they would be if someone wasn't "Distracting" them. Luffy landed with extreme force, cracking in the deck of ship number one on his list. He expected the wave of attackers that followed when he landed. He had only taking the blood of a couple dozen off that first ship, but this one was going to wiped out. "Ji-Ken!" Luffy said as he formed a single edged blade of blood. His swordplay would improve if he kept using it. Zoro would probably appreciate a decent sparring partner. Punching people in the face was something he could chock up to being a master at. He launched at the charging pirates and performed a slice, hitting three of them in the gut and causing them to fall. He kept dueling with the charging men, being less than fair at times by moving his blade through the sword locks and into his attacker. With each cut he attacked with greater and greater force. Fueled by the spilled blood he added to himself as he moved. Even when surrounding him on all sides, the men stood no chance. No blows injured him. No cuts made him bleed. No bullets made him flinch. He just kept cutting them apart and stealing their blood. He was a force of nature with a thirst for blood.

By the time the nearby ships had received their orders, the ship had already been cleared of allies. A hundred men cut apart and drained by a lone boy. The cannon fire gutted the insides in moment. Every ship in the area were determined to bring it down and take him with it. However, Luffy launched to the nearest ship and climbed up to the crow's nest. "Hey! That's a lot of ships! You think they'll fire with all of you on?!" Luffy yelled down to the pirates below, toying with them and making them shake with fear. Luffy knew someone like Krieg would take down his entire crew just to take him down. Though that was a fair point since he was going to do the same thing anyway. Krieg wouldn't have a single crew member to order around anymore.

Sure to Luffy's sadistic taunt, the ships open fired on their allies. A dozen cannon balls crashed through the ship before they checked for survivors. As long as Luffy was among them, they'd fire another volley. The men aboard the ship yelled to cease fire. They begged for their lives. Luffy however laughed at their pleas. "Chi Chi Rain!" Clotted blood shards rained down on the preoccupied men. All their focus on keeping their friends from firing made them forget the actual reason. A killer was on their ship. They got to learn from their mistakes painfully. The shards were long and extremely thin, allowing them to bore into the shoulders, backs, and if you were lucky, skulls of the pirates they hit. Those who weren't killed instantly immediately tried to pull out the blood dagger dug inside them, but it simply liquified in their hands. Luffy followed up his rain of shards by quickly stealing all the blood he spilled. Those who died were dried out in their entirety, while those injured were left weakened. He leaped to the next ship as the second volley started to hit.

Luffy yawned comically as he sat on the crow's nest. These guys couldn't even fight him at this point. They were too busy fighting each other. It made it boring that no one would focus on trying to stop him without blowing apart the battle ground. Fortunately, he thought up an idea. With a quick sling of the arm he sent a good size glob of blood below. "Homunculus." After saying it, a look alike of Luffy formed. At least, one that seemed like a blood based monster that Krieg would destroy at any cost. Assured that this ship would be obliterated, he launched to the next and formed another one. The confusion would assure he'd get a good fight from the third ship.

"Ahh. Man. I'm tired. You guys got any meat?" Luffy asked casually as he walked around the deck. It took longer than he expected for them to notice. One even told him where the kitchen was! These guys were total amateurs. Not even noticing a stranger on their ship. Oh well. Luffy looked out to see the confusion caused by him being in multiple places at once and smiled. Time to really confuse some pirates. He concentrated on the clones he created. If this worked, it would be devastating. "Bakudan." Sure enough, it worked. His clones exploded with great force from the intense density. Shards of blood tore through the ships and pirates at incredible speeds. Each one could carve through multiple people if they didn't hit bone. Luffy gawked at his own attack as others froze in fear. It was more destructive than a cannonball fitted with explosives. The worst part was that some of the blood soared towards them and was absorbed into their uninvited guest. Those nearby didn't get to draw their weapons before Luffy beat them down.

* * *

"Dammit! Was this the one who attacked you? Is this the kind of people on the Grand Line?!" Krieg yelled at Gin. He was too valuable to keep on another ship. None of his men would fire on the Dreadnaught Sabre whether or not Luffy was on board. Gin had come back to assist with keeping his men in line. Krieg was a wreck from watching his precious fleet be tore apart. Five ships from a single boy already. That was bad. The unknown fact that Luffy was growing more powerful as he fought was horrifying.

"No. No Luffy saved me. I didn't know he could do any of this Krieg, I swear." Gin said, trying his best to maintain his composure. It was far from what he expected when Luffy said he wanted to fight Krieg. He thought maybe a one on one brawl. That maybe Krieg would fight fairly and bring Luffy down easily. But it was far from it now. Krieg attacked him unprovoked and started a war. A war against a single man with the power that rivaled some monster that cut apart their ships on the grand line.

"We need to stop him. How can we stop him Gin?!" Krieg was sweating heavily. His hair was a mess and his eyes were was wide as saucers. It was a frantic state Gin had never seen him in before. A disgrace of a look in his eyes.

"His… His crew sir." Gin coughed out, clenching his fists so hard he pierced flesh with his nails. He was selling out a crew of happy people who saved his life and showed him kindness to please Krieg. It was a sickening feeling to think how far he'd go for the man. Those people were kinder than Krieg ever was.

"That's it! Take Pearl and a ship, no two! Get those damn rats of his and make him surrender!" Krieg ordered, slamming his fist down and breaking the railing.

"Yes sir." Gin said, eyes closed as he walked away. Tears fell as he yelled for Pearl to sail out towards the restaurant ship. He'd need to take them all alive if they wanted a chance to get out alive themselves.

* * *

"Wooh! You guys were a little better than those others." Luffy said as he looked around. Some of them were still breathing. Not something he expected would last long after the sound of cannon fire. He took all the blood of those he could and launched at the next ship. He limbs had to stay in blood form after all the intake. He had also grown substantially in size. He was less the nimble fighter he was at the start, and now more of a blood soaked powerhouse. Luffy didn't need to rely on a sword anymore, his giant fist was able to crack bones in a single, still incredibly fast swing. Though he still covered his knuckles with clotted blood spikes so he didn't need to tear it out of their bodies. Most of the blows now were landing on the back of his enemies as they ran away. Disgraceful.

* * *

"Umm. Guys. There's some ships headed this way…" Kaya said as she looked out the barricade at the approaching threat. It took all she could muster just to speak. This was too much for a first trip out to sea.

"Oh no. Where's Luffy?" Nami asked the air as if he would appear. She didn't doubt Zoro's strength or Usopp's skill, but those two against two fully armed pirate ships? Not a good scenario. Even with all these weirdly angry chefs, fighting one would be a challenge. If they had poison there wouldn't even be a fight. They'd have to hold up inside and wait for Luffy.

"Well he's probably fighting the rest of them. At least now it won't be boring." Zoro said as he held onto Wado. He was itching for a battle. A big one. As long as they didn't try to blow up the ship, they stood a chance. Though if his only help was scaredy cat, dartbrow, and whatever insulting nickname he could come up with for the rest of the merry little band of misfits, they'd be pressed hard.

"I don't know who the hell this captain of yours is… But how dare he leave such beautiful ladies unprotected?" Sanji seemingly ignored the threat to his life as he knelt in front of the tall blonde woman. It took a surprising punch from the woman and the toucan man at her side for him to realize something.

"I have a boyfriend you… Jerkface!" Kaya's insults were less than powerful compared to some others, but her punch had surprising force.

"Yeah! Me!" Usopp yelled, rubbing his knuckles after the punch. He didn't have much experience actually hitting people, but it felt good.

"What about you my bright beautiful star?" Sanji asked the red headed woman who was mumbling to herself. His ego needed some recognition.

Zoro took the liberty of crushing his dreams by pulling him up off his knees and pointing out to the fleet. Normally trying to focus on just one person at that distance would put strain on the eyes of anyone but a sniper, but in this case the person in question was easily over twenty feet tall and was starting to structurally damage the ship he was on. "That would be her boyfriend, erocook."

Sanji gulped and decided to back off for the first time in his long career of being a pervert. A twenty foot tall man ripping the mast off of a ship was a scary sight. The idea of him being murderously jealous would be even worse.

"Now if only he'd hurry up and finish fighting those guys and help us…" Nami said outloud as she looked between the destruction in the distance and the horror up close.

* * *

"Are you guys even trying anymore?" Luffy asked as he finished ripping the mast out of the ship. It would normally be an impossible feat, but he was nearly four times his previous size and his muscles never tired from the constant flow of oxygen rich blood. They were also much more prominent, and his upper body was bulkier. With a quick swing he crushed the nearest ship along the middle, causing it to slowly sink. He was able to leech every last drop he could from it before the inhabitants sunk into the water. "Can no one fight me?!" Luffy roared as he launched onto another ship. The force from his powerful legs tore into the ship as he leaped. The cannon fire had stopped as most of the fleet had been destroyed. The main goal was to simply get far enough away for him to be a sitting duck. At least until Krieg's plan worked.

* * *

"We only want the Straw Hat boy's crew! The rest of you will be unharmed! Send them out within three minutes!" Gin yelled at the restaurant from his position on the ship. The two were position right by each other, cannons aimed at them. He knew Krieg would come back for the restaurant, but he needed the crew now without blowing it to pieces.

"They're not going to let us go, are they?" One of the chef's asked. He was a very strange looking man with extremely buff arms holding some sort of cannon.

"Not a chance. This is Krieg we're dealing with. Foul Play Krieg. If we surrender, he'll kill us. So I'd rather go down fighting." The head chef, whom they learned was named Zeff, declared to them all.

"We don't stand a chance against those guys! The second we start to fight, they'll blow us to pieces!" Usopp tried to persuade them. Surely they'd be fine if they simply surrendered. Luffy would come and rescue them, easy peasy. Why did no one get that?!

"I'm not going to stop any of you from surrendering, but I'm not giving this place up for anyone." Zeff said as he crossed his arms, looking at the strangers.

"We can fight them, Usopp. At least until Luffy gets here. He protected us once, remember?" Kaya reassured Usopp, rubbing his hand to comfort him. He was concerned about their lives, not their pride.

"Yeah. Do you know how pissed Luffy would be if he knew we just surrendered?" Zoro asked with a smile. He was taking the situation in his stride. Holding out his inner feeling of fear. That he'd lose to overwhelming foes, cheating their way to victory.

"I'm not giving up either. No way I'll get this close to give up." Nami said, gripping her staff tight. Memories flooded her mind, ones she hoped would be washed away soon.

"Well, you heard the ladies. We're going to fight these shitty pirates tooth and nail." Sanji said, lighting his cigarette before walking out the door. Ready to fight anyone who threatened them.

* * *

The fight was incredible. Glorious. A real underdog story. Or at least it would be if the Krieg pirates, beside Gin, had any since of Pride. The moment they saw that they'd have an actual fire on their hands they open fired with a few cannons, then threatened to use poison. They didn't have any on board. It was only stocked in the Dreadnaught and on Krieg himself. Even if they did, they wouldn't use it. They needed the crew alive to stop the rampaging behemoth. They were running out of ships, men, and time. They took every member of the Straw Hats aboard and tied them up. It was one more than expected. A weird blonde with curly eyebrows. Gin surely would have remembered such a… Unique face, but maybe he just didn't show up to the kitchen.

"So, what are you going to do with us, Gin?" Zoro asked, the fire in his belly far from being put out. One of the pirates kneed him in the gut for speaking up, but was sent away shortly after by Gin himself.

"A simple trade. Your lives for Luffy's. He's too big a threat to let him leave alive. I can only assume we'll throw him in the sea if nothing else will work." Gin answered, not looking him in the eyes.

"But why are you doing this? Luffy saved you! He saved all of us!" Kaya yelled, tears forming in her eyes. She didn't understand any of this. When you help someone, they should help you back. As if Klaha- Kuro, wasn't enough. Now him? Was no one good anymore?

"Shut up, pretty lady. Your mouth wasn't made for backtalk." One of the pirates sneered, walking over to her. Months on the ship with no tail left him rather ornery, and a similar sounding word.

"Don't you talk to her that way! I am Captain Usopp! I have a fleet of ten million men at my disposal who could destroy you all!" Usopp yelled, throwing himself over and in front of Kaya. It was a futile attempt at protecting her, but one he had to do.

"I'll talk to her however I damn well want!" The man raised his fist to strike the boy, but ended up punching the large iron ball on Gin's tonfa. It shattered his hand and made him run back in pain, screaming bloody murder.

"You think I don't know that? I don't want to hurt Luffy. But I have no choice, I-"

"Gin! Why did you hurt his body?!" Pearl yelled as he saw the broken hand of the pirate. "We need them to kill that boy!"

"Shut up! He tried attacking the hostages! We can't let them get hurt!"

"What? Are you joking? Their condition won't matter as long as they're alive. We're trading their lives, not their perfect skin." He couldn't help but admire his own body amidst an angry outburst. He was more vain than Usopp in his story telling.

"Well I say no hurting them. Anyone who wants to goes through me first." Gin said coldly, spinning on the tonfas around slowly.

Everyone backed away slowly, but stopped at a question.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Sanji asked, focusing on Gin. "Their captain saves your life and returns you to your crew, and you repay him by kidnapping his crew and killing him?"

"Hahahaha! That's the Krieg way. There's no fair in the world. Only survival. Right Gin?" Pearl asked, stepping closer. He believed he could talk him into letting them have fun with the captives. The entire situation drained moral. Some recreational violence would be good for everyone.

"That's the Krieg way…" Gin said, staring to the distance at the devastation. Luffy had to slow down now that numbers were dwindling. He was avoiding attacking the flagship. He wanted every other ship first. "Attack people unprovoked because they suggest another way of doing things..."

"Exact- Wait huh? Gin, that should have been a happy sentence!" Pearl yelled, sticking out his arms.

"Cheating people out of deals. Killing civilians. Going back on your promises. Leaving no survivors…" The last one Cut the Cord. Luffy wouldn't be the only one to die. Krieg would kill all the others right after Luffy. They didn't even hurt anyone, but he wouldn't let them live. He wasn't that kind of person. "That's the Krieg way."

"Now you're getting it! So let them have their fun with the bait." Pearl reached past them to the orange haired girl. She was quiet and the boys may like her. Unfortunately, Gin had been twirling that tonfa for a good long time. The force that crashed down on pearl's arm shattered not only the shield, but the arm under it. Pearl screamed in pain as he looked at his arm. It had been shattered thoroughly, some shard of which pierced the skin and left major tearing. "Blood… Blood… My perfect body. Dang-" The next hit crashed down on Pearl's skull and ended with similar results. Third in command of the Krieg Pirates fell to the ground in a mostly perfect heap.

Gin stood silently, staring at the body and spinning his tonfas. Something inside his mind finally snapped. Five people had saved his life and expected no reward. They did it out of kindness. They gave him the first food he had in days, and stayed friendly even after finding out his was their enemy. If being a Krieg pirate meant snuffing the life of people like these. Of these people. It wasn't worth it anymore. If he had snapped earlier, it may have meant a difference. But now they were approaching the flagship, and Gin didn't know if he could confront Krieg himself.

* * *

"Monkey D. Luffy! I have your crew and your traitor friend Gin! Give up, or they all die!" Krieg yelled at the lumbering giant. He was an astonishing forty feet tall and stopped speaking. He only roared at the people aboard the ships. At the sound of the threat however, he stared in silence. Each one had a gun to the back of their heads. A false move and they be killed, even if he could manipulate their blood. That many people and someone could fight his power.

"Don't listen to him Luffy! Yeah Big Bro! We'll be fine captain!" Different crew members yelled different things to the demon that was once Luffy. The outburst enraged Krieg, however he knew killing them would end in death. That could wait till after he made the boy kill himself.

"Shut them up dammit! He doesn't need any bright ideas!" Krieg yelled at his men. He froze in fear as the morons did something incredibly stupid.

A bullet through the shoulder. The one in the middle of them all got a bullet through the shoulder. Was it the tough and durable Zoro? The Man-Demon? Even the boy who had taken rocks and glass before? Of course it wasn't. It was the red headed. The loudest voice in the crowd. With a lightning fast flick upwards, Luffy moved all of the blood in each of the executioners bodies towards the sky. Luffy's new enhanced form had unexpectedly eased the strain on Luffy to manipulate blood. His immense storage of blood left him full of energy. The blood he moved flooded their skulls, until the pressure capped and blood left every way it could. Eyes, Mouth, and Nose all shot blood onto the back of the captives.

Krieg couldn't believe his eyes. Seeing his plan up in smoke at the flick of a wrist was soul crushing. The only thing he could think to do was hurt the bastard. He tried to deploy his weapons and blow them away, but he felt his entire body pulled away. In fact, he soared through the air quickly towards the giant boy made of blood.

"Kriieeeggg!" Luffy distorted voice yelled as he caught the man. This level of control was still taxing in this state. He couldn't just pull it out of one spot. He had to pull it all evenly towards him, effectively making him fly. Albeit painfully. Luffy stared down at the man with anger and blood lust. With a quick cup of his head, Luffy determined his fate. "Chi. Chi. Bubble." Luffy's voice was slower than normal, but his insistence to call out attacks was no weaker for it. Don Krieg's head was engulfed in a bubble of blood, causing him to crash and fail as he suffered one of the most frightening deaths. Drowning. Drowning over forty feet above the sea in a bubble of blood. Luffy let out a victory yell before throwing the dead body to the horizon, causing it to skip like a stone. With one last ship crushing launch, he was on the Dreadnaught Sabre, though it was worse for wear after the landing. Luffy did the unthinkable as he approached, shed all of the excess blood. In a few steps he was back to normal, though the entire ship was coated in blood from it. Luffy cut all of the ropes with a few quick movements, but the only one he did personally was Nami's. He of course looked at the wound in her shoulder with fear. His insatiable blood lust had be decimated the moment he got near. That blood needed to be back in her, stat. "Kaya! Fix her!" Luffy ordered, looking back at Nami. She wasn't scared. She actually smiled as Kaya rushed past the dead bodies to find their medical supplies.

"I knew you'd save me." She said with a smile as she looked into his eyes. Giving him a kiss before a light punch with her unwounded arm. "Just do it quicker next time, idiot." She teased, making Luffy smile.

* * *

Wooh. Okay. This chapter was not backlogged, it was freshly written from yesterday to now. It was a real work of determination. I do hope it fits people's expectations. Luffy and his fruit thrive under situations of 1 vs. Many. This is one of the best cases available. Of course if Krieg's entire fleet had gone into the Grand Line, this would have gone much differently. But with all the stories surrounding the horror, he wouldn't attack head on right away. But aside from that, no meeting will be the same. It would be boring. I'm not rewriting the canon just to make some more stuff fit. But anyway, back to Luffy. He is extremely deadly when he deals with large groups of weak enemies. 2,500 men who only ever relied on swarming the enemy is the perfect example. How do you like some of the techniques? What do you think about the way he changes as he gathers blood? I'd love to hear any thoughts on these features, but please be respectful with criticism.

The Eternal Winter-I believe I covered what happens when Luffy uses Chi Chi Rocket (Not all moves and attacks will be named at all times, as shown.) Areas coated in haki will not be affected, but unless you use full body haki, or are fully transformed logia (or mythical zoan) he can control some part.

Chimera629- Well Kaya was letting Merry live a long and easy life for his faithful service. Nami was more focused on the whole entering a harem, getting someone to kill Arlong combo to really notice Kaya was just giving up her fortune. Luffy's still human, and humans need the same blood.

Sneak13579- My apologies, but some characters I see as having clear pairings I would like to keep committed to. KayaxUsopp is one of them. If fact it's one of the only ones I see for the crew.

KuramaShadowFoxYokai- I shall leave that up to the people. At the first interaction with one I would like writing into his harem, I will post a poll regarding it. But for now, Luffy is looking for girls to join his harem.


	7. New Recruits Blood Man meets Family

Hello everyone! Fresh chapter with some old wounds. Fair warning, this chapter is going off script. Far off script. But in some logical ways. I honestly don't think, or at least have never read, a single story where Luffy tries to add this chapters focus to his harem. I at very least hope it proves to be an interesting read. The big fight will be next chapter, and it will most likely wrap up the arc as well. I decided to make this one chapter so I could leave you all waiting, as I have an exam in just a little while and may be in a state of depression after it. Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece.

* * *

Kaya started bandaging the wound as best she could. A flesh wound fell right in her expertise. Luckily for Nami they didn't hit anything vital. It would have been a major problem if they hit anything internal. The suturing took longer than typically from her amateur skill, but at least she didn't make any mistakes. "Okay Nami, try not to tear the stitches." Kaya gave her first order to her patient. Any straining on the shoulder and they'd be back to square one.

"You expect me to go without knocking some since into those idiots?" She sighed and rubbed her shoulder. The one blessing in it all was that it tore through some of that horrendous tattoo on her arm. "Fine, but you're my fist, got it?" Nami joked, though did have to assure Kaya she wouldn't be punching any of them. "Let's go make sure neither of us need to hit them over something stupid."

"Hey, Gin, what's wrong?" Luffy asked Gin, who was still kneeling down where he was. "Come on, get up! Victory meal!"

"I didn't win Luffy. My captain is dead." Gin said coldly, staring at the floor. "Which means I may as well die myself." Gin couldn't look up at Luffy. Hopefully he would get the hint and just end his life. He didn't have anything left to live for.

"Well, if I was your captain, you'd have won. I am your captain now!" Luffy declared, shocking everyone around him. "So come on and get up! I want food!" Luffy was determined for two things. Getting Gin to join, and eating at the restaurant he just took down a fleet to save.

"It's not that simple. I betrayed Krieg. He was the only man I ever respected before. The man I'd see become Pirate King, and you killed him!"

"He deserved to die! You don't! So just shut up and join me already!" The two were in a fierce shouting match that had everyone else watching. Could Luffy be more stubborn than a Man-Demon wanting to die?

"Why the hell do you want me to join you? I betrayed my last captain, you can't trust me."

"You betrayed him to save my friends." Luffy said plainly, as he pulled Gin off his knees. "You want to join us you thick headed jerk! You wouldn't have done that otherwise!"

Gin gritted his teeth as he was forced to look Luffy in the eyes. Hitting him would do no good. He was right. "You're right… You're better than Krieg ever was. If the offer's still-"

"New crew-member! Let's celebrate!" Luffy yelled before looking around. "So… How do we get back to the restaurant?"

"Well we have… to… swim..." They all looked at Luffy, who scratched his head. "Well, we have to anyway."

"Shishishi. Well I bet we beat you all there!" Luffy said before absorbing the massive amount of blood he had shed on the deck and picking up Nami. She didn't need to be swimming with an injury. Besides, this would be fun. He squatted down and focused on the distant ship. His legs swelled up as he prepared his maneuver. With a sudden bloody discharge they were sent soaring through the air, which made Nami yell in fear and anger, but it was better than swimming with a hole in her shoulder.

* * *

Luffy landed with a thud on the Baratie, though luckily he left all the blood he absorbed on the ship or as he went. At least, all that wasn't his type. These fights were starting to pile on to his overall form. He swore he had grown an inch, which he had. It took a few hundred people to do it, but it was progress none the less. He made quite an entrance as he walked into the restaurant carrying his first girlfriend. Everyone inside brandished a weapon at the boy. He however showed no fear as he walked to a table and set Nami down. "Bring me meat!" He yelled out, shocking everyone. Zeff stood and walked slowly to the kitchen, abiding the boys request.

"Who the hell do you think you are?! Do you plan to pay for that?!" An oddly proportioned man yelled out, ready to beat up the moocher.

"Nope!" Luffy yelled out confidently, staring at the man. "But I'm hungry and tired. So I won't fight anyone right now."

"Than I don't see a reason why we shouldn't kick you out you bum! We have bigger problems than feeding you!"

"Well your biggest problem is that I'm hungry! Sideburn guy is gone so give me my victory steak! What do you want Nami?"

"I don't think I can eat anything… I feel sick." She groaned as she set her head on the table.

"What the hell do you mean he's-" The man wearing sunglasses inside, a most horrendous atrocity, was quickly shut up as Zeff slammed down a plate stacked with meat. Most looked rare, but the boy was in a rush so he'd get rare.

"Wooh! Thanks old guy!" Luffy yelled before he started to tear into the meat. Some in more literal ways as he ripped it into more bite-sized chunks.

"Enjoy. Least I can do for our hero. The rest of you! Get to the kitchen and cook for his crew!" Zeff ordered, leaving no one left in the room to question the who, how, or why. It gave him a moment to talk with the thick skulled young man. This whole ordeal had him on edge and this boy showing up was a bigger headache than relief. "Who are you?"

"I'm. Mmm. Monkey D. So good. Luffy!" Luffy couldn't slow down for even a moment to answer. He'd gone from normal to super sized and back to normal again in such a short time. Meat would surely fix it. "Who're you old guy? You know Nami?"

"She was here earlier, yes. Tried to get us to run away. But, but fought his entire fleet to save this restaurant, and you don't know who I am?" 'Cocky youngster, that's for sure.'

"Nope. You guys have food. Plus that was fun." Luffy said between bites. His monstrous appetite was limited by his stomach, so he had to slow down. Though it wouldn't be long before his body broke the meat down to everything he needed and supercharged him. "Why? Should I know you?"

Zeff grunted and looked him over even more. This boy's priorities were down right terrifying. "I'm Zeff. You have quite the appetite young man. Won't be any left for those friends of yours."

"Thanks. My Grandpa says I got it from him. If they want any, they'll hurry. Besides, Nami doesn't like steak as much as me."

"No one likes steak as much as you, moron." Nami said from her place on the table. That jump was like a roller coaster that was about to be shut down for unsafe conditions.

"I'm sure someone does! Mmm. You should try some though! He's way better than Kaya." Luffy said with a smile to the old man. "Think you could join us? Kaya could really learn something from you."

"My travel days are done. I'm going to stay here and keep these hooligans on track. There may be someone who could help you. Speak of the devil… Sanji! Get in the kitchen and stop being useless!"

"You just know no one else in there can cook as well as me old man!" Sanji yelled angrily as he walked to him, staring the man down. His mood had deteriorated from the swim. His hair and his close were ruined, two things he put a lot of effort in. The argument however didn't stop him from walking to the kitchen and getting to work.

"That boy… Young man, are you in need of a loud mouth pervert who can hardly listen to a word you say?" Zeff asked with a smile. No point in hiding who that boy is, less he be dropped back off after a day.

"Well I'm already all those… If he's half as good as you though, I'll take him!" Luffy yelled just as everyone else fell in the chairs around him.

Zoro picked his head up and groaned. "You aren't seriously thinking of taking that dartboard are you? I don't care if he lays golden eggs it isn't worth it."

"Zoro I swear if we find anything that can do that, you're going overboard before it is. Secondly, we could use a professional chef. Kaya is okay but we need someone who knows the proper nutrition to provide." Nami said, getting over her motion sickness with good old avarice.

"I agree with Nami. I could learn a lot from a real professional, but he does seem a little..."

"Super perverted?" Usopp finished Kaya's sentence for her with anger in his voice. He had a good enough reason to dislike him.

"Shitty Curly Brow Ero-cook..." But maybe Zoro hated him more…

"Well I'm not leaving anyway." Sanji said as he walked the food to them. Zoro had a distinct feeling his would spit or ashes somewhere inside, but he was too hungry to complain anyway. "Not until I get some damn recognition!"

"Cook well and you'll get your recognition! Your slop is inedible!" Zeff yelled, preparing to kick the arrogant brat out the door if he had to.

"Hey old guy, why are you lying?" Luffy asked, rubbing his stomach happily.

"I'm not lying, Sanji can't cook a decent meal to save his life!"

"Shishishi. Totally lying." Luffy said as he looked at his friends, who were scarfing down their food. Zoro was now certain Sanji put out a previous cigarette inside his, but it still tasted delicious. "Even if they weren't eating like… Well, me, I can feel you lying."

"Ha! I knew it! Say it old man! Say it!" Sanji yelled, a mix of pride and anger. He had trained too many years to not get recognized now.

"Will you get out of my damn restaurant if I say it?!" Zeff yelled back, hobbling towards him.

"If I have to sprout wings and fly!" Sanji replied, staring the old man down.

"Shishishi. I love a good show, but I have to go kill that Arbong guy." Luffy said as he stood, walking towards the two. "What the hell is with you two? You know how good of a cook he is. You know he thinks you're a good cook. What's the problem?"

"He has to say it! That's the-" His voice was caught in his throat with one death glare from the boy who just walked between them.

"Let's try again! Zeff, you think Sanji is a good chef." He looked at Zeff, who gave no response. The puff of air was all Luffy needed. "Sanji, that is the best you'll get of the geezer. Are we done?"

"It's not that simple Luffy! I owe him my life!" Sanji yelled angrily, shaking off the fear that had invaded his being.

"Hey! I just saved both of you!" Luffy yelled angrily back at Sanji, who looked at him angrily. "See, I'm right. So why not make it up to both of us by living your life, letting gray hair here live his, and joining my crew!"

Zeff closed his eyes and smiled, before he started to snicker. "To think I labeled him a fool. Well Sanji, you don't owe me anything anymore, but you and I both owe this boy a life."

"Dammit…" Sanji gritted his teeth and ground his foot into the floor. He was right. "I just owe you both now. I owed you first, so that's what I repay first."

"Ugh! How are you going to repay him? By staying here forever?! Old guy here wants you to leave!"

"Well he doesn't get to decide that! I owe him my life dammit!"

"Than live it you fool!" Zeff finally yelled, fuming with anger. "I did not give my up my food and my leg for you to be crammed up my ass!" He had reached a boiling point, and this was the overflow. "You're either going to walk out of here and make something of yourself, or I'll kick you out!"

Sanji froze in shock at the outburst. The words were kind by normal berating standards. They also revealed why he tried to push him out the door every chance he could. "Say it than! For once in your life give me a damn compliment!"

"You want a compliment?! You're still the sniveling little brat who needed to be complimented for every good thing he cooked! The only thing that's changed since then is that your food doesn't taste like you pulled it from the garbage can!"

Sanji couldn't help but smirk. "That's as close as I'll get from you, isn't it?" Sanji asked, to which he got a grunt. "Guess I'll take it in and run…" Sanji said as he turned towards the door. It really would be the best he got from the aging cook.

The walked outside and yelled for Johnny and Yosaku to bring it to them. Those two would have probably gotten Zoro to fight if they had been with them, either through riling him up or being attacked by annoyed pirates. Luckily they were able to stay out of trouble and bring the ship near.

* * *

"Two new crew members in one day. Think we'll need a bigger ship, captain?" Zoro asked Luffy as they stood and waited on the ship. Sanji and Zeff were having a goodbye ceremony of sorts Zoro couldn't be bothered with.

"Maybe… Probably. But Merry has the perfect room, so I like her. Besides, Kaya gave Merry to us. We won't replace her unless we have to." Luffy said as he watched Sanji stand and wipe the tears from his eyes. "Shishishi. Just be glad you don't have to double bunk with Sanji, yet." Luffy teased as he left Zoro to curse the idea. He still needed to talk with Gin and Nami.

"So, Captain. Who're we taking on now? You brought down the Krieg pirates on your own, what next? Are you going to fist fight Arlong?" Gin asked jokingly, but his eyes filled with fear as Luffy looked at his fist. "Wait that was a jok-"

"Nami! Set sail to Coconut village!" Luffy yelled, making everyone look at him.

"Luffy, it's Cocoyashi. I've told you this." Nami sighed as she walked to the rudder. Just because it sounded kind of like Coconut, it's all he would call it.

"You can't be serious, captain. Even Krieg didn't want to take on Arlong. He's not even human. He's rumored to be part Sea King." Gin was hysterical. But Luffy's wide smile brought him out of it.

"I'm serious, I'm not Krieg, and I certainly am not human." Luffy said in his cheery tone. He certainly eliminated Gin's fear of Arlong, even if it was replaced with fear of his captain. "Welp, I'm going to talk to Nami. Play nice with everyone!"

"But wait. Luffy!" Gin yelled as Luffy ran to Nami. It was no use, Luffy had intended to leave him on that note, so that's where it would stay. He hated it when people would leave them on such a cliffhanger.

"So Nami, what can you tell me about Arbong and Cocoyashi?" Luffy asked, getting the important part correct for her sake.

Nami smiled a little. She wasn't certain if that was intentional, but it was funny none the less. "Well I grew up there. My mother Bellemere lives there, so does my sister Nojiko." Nami said with a small smile as she thought of them. "As for Arlong… He's a heartless bastard. When we were kids, we could hardly get by. We lived on tangerines and stealing from people. Arlong charged everyone just for the privilege of staying alive. If you couldn't pay, he would kill you. Bellemere's smart, she knew to hide us from him, so she didn't have to pay for us all, but we were found out. Arlong was going to kill her after he found out, but… Genzo, the mayor, he gave his life for us. Mom didn't get out of bed for days. We still needed to get money, so I made a deal with Arlong. If I worked for him, my families debt is ignored. If I get a hundred million beli, he'll let the entire village go."

Luffy stared wordlessly at her. After a few very silent moments, Luffy hugged her. She wasn't crying, but that didn't mean she wasn't upset. Luffy took the hat off of his head and placed it on her head. "That's my most valuable possession. I've fought anyone or anything that's hurt it. It's the only thing I left home with that I would never leave. It's also a promise that I'm going to make Arlong pay, for you."

Nami started to cry, heavily. She saw the way he treated that hat. It was a priceless artifact he just so happened to wear. Now she was wearing it. She lifted it just enough to see him, then gave him a kiss. "Thank you Luffy…"

The trip there was deathly quiet. Not a ship, storm, or giant sea mammal in sight. It left for some contemplation on the part of the more human part of the crew.

"Why does Luffy need us anyway? He's a One Man Army for crying out loud!" Usopp yelled to the group that gathered in the kitchen. With Luffy on the figurehead and Nami navigating, they could all talk. Johnny and Yosaku were more… Moral support.

"Well I'm a top rate chef. The beautiful young lady, that for some reason chose you, is good enough to keep you morons alive. Nami is an expert at whatever she puts her mind to!" Sanji swooned, despite the fact that she was neither there or interested in his advances.

"I wonder if she'll put her mind towards pleasing Luffy." Zoro added to send Sanji into a depression. "But that aside, we are all useful. I'm going to be the world's greatest swordsman. Gin took down those guys on Krieg's ship easily. Usopp is a damn good shot. Kaya has some medical knowledge. Nami could lie in the face of a nun."

"Don't forget I could kick your ass!" Sanji yelled after he recovered from his depressed state, getting in Zoro's face.

"You couldn't kick my ass with cyborg legs you shitty cook!"

"Will you two shut up! You're acting like children not pirates!" Gin yelled, joining the fray.

"Stay out of this lanky ball swinger!" They yelled in unison. The momentary agreement didn't let them reconcile their differences however.

"I'll hit you both so fucking hard you'd swear you kissed a train!"

"Don't even think about it long nose!" They all yelled in unison as Usopp started to stand, making him sit back down after gulping hard.

Everyone was silenced as Luffy opened the door to the kitchen. "Come on guys! I get to meet Nami's mom!" Luffy yelled in excitement before rushing away from the door and towards Nami.

"Isn't that suppose to be terrifying?!" The men yelled in unison as they followed him out. Luffy just smiled a bit at the sound of it.

"Shishishi. Why should I be scared? She sounds nice, and she's gotta be cute if Nami's hers." Luffy asked with a cocked head. He didn't really know what there was to be scared of. But everyone backed away when he called Bellemere cute.

"Well, actually, she isn't my blood mother. Nojiko isn't my blood sister either. We're an adoptive family." Nami said, surprising them all that he didn't get his skull crushed under her fist.

"Well you know what they say, Blood is thicker than water." Luffy said with a smile, which earned him some stares.

"We're as close as any family Luffy." Nami replied with some hostility.

"Huh? That's what I said. The Blood of the Covenant is Thicker than the Water of the Womb. But that's a mouthful." Luffy said to the confused crowd. He knew what family was. Ace and Sabo were his brothers as much as Garp was his grandpa.

"Did. Did he just teach us something?" Usopp asked, though was given no answer. No one wanted to thick about that.

"Come on! I get to meet her family!" Luffy yelled, snatching Nami up and leaping out to the ground. Luckily that small jump was nowhere near what that other jump was.

* * *

After a short walk through the remains of one upturned town, they arrived at Nami's home. She had made sure to hide their presence from everyone. Arlong would sure investigate if a large group of strangers were spotted.

"Bellemere! Nojiko! I'm back, and I brought friends!" Nami yelled into the house. Surely at least one of them were inside. Sure enough, Bellemere was.

As sure as the sun would rise, the hearts of every man there sped up as she came down the stairs. She was quite a stunning woman to be in her forties. Tall and well figured. Her unique red hair just screamed "Women have guts!" "Nami! I'm so glad you're safe! Wait a moment, what's with the stitching? What did you do young lady?!" Bellemere had completely ignored the large crowd gathered in her home to focus on her daughter.

"N-nothing mom! Just a, you know… Gun shot. But please don't worry about me! This is my boyfriend Luffy. That's-" Nami was unable to fool her mother by changing the topic however, though it wasn't ignored.

"What do you think you're doing going around getting shot?!" She asked as she hit her daughter upside the head, leaving a whelp. "And you! How could you let her get shot?!" Bellemere yelled as she hit the boy beside her daughter.

"Ow! Mom! He also took out Don Krieg and his crew for me." Nami groaned as she rubbed her head. It would hopefully prevent them from getting hit anymore.

"Really? Well I'm so sorry young man. Allow me to give you a very intimate reward." Bellemere said as she pull Luffy back up, leaning forward a little to show off her cleavage. It would undoubtedly freak the boy out and make him forgive the hit.

Not even Luffy's blood manipulation could stop the blood that poured out of his nose. His jaw hung open at the mind boggling offer. Nami's mother was a bigger pervert than he was. "You've got the greatest mom ever Nami." Luffy said before pulling her close to him, shocking Bellemere and, well, everyone in the room. His face was planted square in the cleavage she had just been showing off. He had kintama bigger than the balls on Gin's tonfa to do that.

"Eww! Luffy! I'm finding Nojiko!" Nami yelled, storming out towards the tangerine grove. She could accept that he was going to get other girlfriend's, but this was too much. Her mother may just be toying with him like she did every guy, but she didn't have to watch.

Bellemere was at a loss. She never expected him to actually agree to that offer! No one ever got past the embarrassment before! "You. She. I thought." Her brain was stuck in glue.

"Shishishi. Would you like to be my second girlfriend? You're hotter than I expected." The word had morphed in her case. Calling Nami and her mother the same thing could get pretty weird. His mind really worked in mysterious ways.

"I'm confused… Did Nami tell you about me?" Bellemere reasoned the only way he could do this would be if he knew how she acted and planned ahead. That would be something Nami would come up with.

"Huh? Oh no, I found out about you a couple hours ago. You're really muscled. But really soft too." Luffy couldn't act any other way as he held the woman. He didn't hear any complaints or anything, and it was comfortable. If he had eyes in the back of his head he'd see the shocked expression of everyone in the room. Though if anyone in the village saw this they'd look similar.

"T-thank you?" Her mind slowly started to work again, and she realized she should be angry. "You're dating Nami you little punk!" She yelled as she went to hit him. She was greeted with quite the shock as her fist went right through his head without harming him, though her fist was left bloody, for a moment.

"Shishishi. So? The Pirate King has to have a lot of girlfriends." Luffy said as he absorbed the blood on her fist and smiled. Unaware of her past, or the fear that his defensive act would instill within a person, he caused her to back away.

"Pirate King?! You're pirates?! Nami!" Bellemere yelled out in anger and fear to her daughter. If she survived the thrashing she was about to give that girl, she'd have a lot of explaining to do. "Why are you dating a pirate?! Why did my fist go through him?! Why does he want to make me his girlfriend?! Why haven't you told him about your dear sweet mother before?!" The order was quite interesting, as it showed where her priorities lie. The fact that Nami took a blow to the head with every question may have distorted the answers she'd be given.

"I can explain." Nami groaned out as she rubbed her head. The world was spinning and fading out. "Luffy please explain…" If her explanations angered her mother anymore, she may have her brain liquified.

"Sure thing Nami. She's cute. I'm a Blood Man. You're hot. She has a bad time talking about stuff. You never answered my question." Luffy blazed through those questions with short simple answers that really brew more questions, though he asked his question first and had yet to receive an answer, so it seemed fair.

"What questi-… Why would I date you?!" Bellemere responded with her own question, though it wasn't enough. Not just for Luffy either.

"You should be saying No, not asking why!" Nojiko and, amazingly, Nami yelled in unison at their mother, who effectively backed herself into that corner. Luckily she didn't have to respond to that.

"Huh. Well I'm really strong. We do lots of fun stuff. Umm… Some other stuff I can't say in polite company." Luffy said with a wink and a smile, making his crew fall down. The things he would say in polite company were terrible, so this must be some sick stuff.

"You are the either the bravest or the dumbest boy I've ever met. Or maybe you're both. Either way… Thank you for saving Nami." Bellemere knew better than to do the normal routine again. This boy didn't know what a tease was.

"You're welcome. Haven't answered my question yet… Shishishi." Luffy laughed as Bellemere turned a shade of red and choked on her words. "You're Nami's sister, right?" Luffy asked as he turned to the blue haired woman.

"Nojiko. Thanks for saving my sister. Don't even think about it." Nojiko said the two as one and left no wiggle room. It was bad enough her mom was blushing like a schoolgirl over the only man with a backbone since Genzo way back when, there was no way she'd be sucked into the show.

"Aww. Okay. Nice to meet you. These are my friends and crew. Zoro, Usopp, Gin, and Sanji. The two other guys are Johnny and Yosaku, Zoro's friends."

"Umm.. Are they okay?" She asked as she walked over. They were all in a daze on the floor. The blonde one was mumbling lucky baster, or something.

"They're weird like that. Got any meat? I'm kinda hungry." Luffy said, ignoring the catatonic state of his friends.

"We have tangerines if you'd like. Our pride and joy." Nojiko said with a smile, walking out to the grove before she could get an answer. They were bound to love them.

Sure enough Luffy was amazed. Though that may have been because his diet was similar to that of a lion or a wolf. Any fruit would taste remarkable after all that meat. His friends got up around the time that Nojiko returned with an entire basket full.

"So, you guys really took down Don Krieg? Just the seven of you?" Bellemere asked as she ate one of her tangerines. Years after retiring and settling down, she still had an interest in seeing pirates brought down. Don Krieg was a rather large fish of this sea, even compared to the literal fish Arlong.

"Pff. I wish." Zoro griped as he bit into his tangerine. "This scrawny bastard threatened to poison us all if we didn't surrender, so we didn't even get to fight."

"Look you don't have to remind me. We didn't even have the poison." Gin defended, ashamed of the tactic he used now that he was on a fair fighting crew.

"Wait. Than how did you defeat Krieg? You were all captured by them? By umm, him?" This was starting to sound like a tale of heroism and clever escape. Not to mention the former member who was now with them.

"I was the first commander with Krieg's crew. After that fight, Luffy asked me to join because I didn't let his crew get hurt. But back to the taken hostage situation. Luffy wasn't. He had destroyed nearly twenty ships by the time that happened, which was almost all after he lost half to the Line." Gin said rather somberly. Those were his men he'd lost.

"Wait he what?" Bellemere turned to Luffy, who had fallen asleep mid feast and was snoring. "That boy destroyed Don Krieg's fleet on his own?" Maybe he was braver than he was stupid. Could explain why Nami would stay with him.

"Well rather he's a boy is up for debate. The general consensus is he's not even human." Usopp put in his two cents on the matter. From what he remembered of the fight, Luffy wasn't human during most of it. His keen eyesight let him notice it a little better than others, but he still had no explanation.

"Nami still wanted him to meet me. I'm surprised she was that responsible…" Bellemere said as she looked out the window at her daughters. They were out in the grove, talking and picking some tangerines together. They sure did get along better than when they were young. Though a cat and a dog could do that at times.

"Huh? Nami didn't bring me here to meet you." Luffy yawned as he awoke from his nap. "I'm here to kill that Arbong guy." Luffy said before starting to eat more of the tangerines left uneaten from his mid meal nap.

"I take it back. Nami! Get in here!" Bellemere yelled out to her daughter, who turned white and slowly marched in. "What the hell do you think you're doing? We're not risking Arlong killing this entire village because you think this boy can take him on." Bellemere whisper shouted, as if Arlong were right outside.

"I don't think he can, mom. He can. Luffy's not just a normal person." Nami defended, arguing with her mother.

"Yeah! I'm a Blood Man!" Luffy yelled out proudly, turning his hand to blood and back again.

"A. A Blood Man…" The gears in her head once again clogged with gunk. That was only a rumor. One that would get you hanged if you spoke about it within the marines. It was a crime to know about that fruit, let alone have it. "You have Gold Roger's Devil Fruit?!"

* * *

Woah woah woah! Don't kill me over this chapter, please! I know things took a rather odd turn. Is it that shocking that Genzo would give his life for them? Note, the entire interaction differed but I did not go into detail with Nami telling it. I will probably give it as a flashback next chapter. Would Luffy hit on Bellemere? If he wanted a harem of beautiful women, you're damn right. Typical barriers aren't apparent to him, such as dating a mother and her daughter at the same time. He doesn't exactly see it as taboo because he's dating them, they're not dating each other. I'm also making a big leap with that last line, but I have been hinting at it anyway. Plenty of stories make assumptions and leaps at his power, but it fits well that the most powerful pirate in history had a Devil Fruit that made armies fuel for his fire. Food for Thought.

Justafan- Well saying he's gone super saiyan is a slap in the face when Luffy has Gear Fourth in the series, isn't it? It's not quite the same as filling his muscles with air and haki. His increasing every part of his body by adding more blood. It's all getting thicker essentially.

Devlin Dracul- Luffy is quite a beast in that form, isn't he? I do already have a name for this form, but because he did it progressively through fighting a lot of enemies, rather than having blood at his disposal, I didn't use it. It requires a lot of blood, so don't expect it for a while. Will Luffy add Bellemere to his harem? We'll see…

OXob- Gear Second would be a redundancy with this Luffy. He did it to speed up his blood flow. If he has gallons upon gallons of blood in his system, all of which can be freshly oxygen rich at a time when he absorbs it. He will need to devise a system to speed up the flow at higher quantities, but if he uses Gear Second for anything, it'll be to start boiling his blood.

Anom1- Well luckily for everyone on the planet, Luffy doesn't want to snap his fingers and give everyone on a battlefield an aneurism. He would also be a great medic if he had any proper training. The fruit would be right up there with the Ope Ope no Mi in terms of medical use, though obviously would still be below it in terms of value to the medical community. I don't plan to have Luffy going from island to island acting as a doctor however. He's smarter, not a doctor.


	8. Less than Human, More than Man

Hello everyone! We have broken past 10,000 views! That's incredible! I have a sort of reward. Since I can't really hide it, here it is. My first Lemon. Exciting isn't it? Luffy's married in one story, engaged in another, yet this is my first Lemon. Odd. Oh well, just means that you make a move faster when made of blood instead of rubber. It'll be at the very end, after a certain meeting. So if you don't want to read it, don't. I won't have any story shattering conversation during it, so you won't miss anything if you skip it. Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece.

* * *

Everyone was frozen. No matter how isolated your island was, you'd have to be stuck on a ship in the middle of nowhere for fifty years to never hear of the legendary Pirate King Gold Roger. Despite just how famous he was, details around him were a mystery. Though whatever he was, it was enough to name him the greatest pirate on the planet. Stronger than Whitebeard, Shikki, and the Admirals themselves. A feat no other man had achieved. He was once the most powerful man on the planet, and this boy was a crime of existence to have the fruit.

The reaction were jumbled but followed similar themes. Bellemere and Nojiko were terrified, Bellemere more so. Her years of experience as a marine left her headstrong, to take on anyone. But this wasn't anyone. Nojiko's fear was more what would happen now. Tyrannical rule under Arlong was bad, but what if he wanted to take over too? If he was anywhere near that level, they'd have no choice but to switch from one dictator to another. It was especially bad that the new was already hitting on her mother.

Nami was shocked. She had been worried at first about how he could handle Arlong, but this meant he could handle just about anyone.

Zoro was dumbfounded. Did Luffy really had that kind of power? He certainly had the ambition to be the King of the Pirates. But to have the former King's Devil Fruit as well? The odds were really in his favor. Johnny and Yosaku could only thank the heaven's that Luffy was a good guy. Hunting him would be a death sentence.

Usopp was filled with an odd joy. He'd have to be a brave warrior like his dad if he was with Luffy. He'd have to be for him and Kaya. Kaya was in more confusion than anything. She had yet to be explained many important aspects of the pirate life, but she knew Gold Roger was the former king. So this had to be a big deal.

Gin nearly dropped down to worship his captain. This explained why he took out Krieg so easily. He didn't stand a chance. Krieg could have, nay would have become the best. But it would be a long way away. This boosted Luffy leagues ahead of Krieg.

Sanji wanted to kick Luffy off the face of the planet. Let him rule the moon dammit! First he has the red headed vixen that stole his heart with one look. Then he started hitting on her smoking hot punk looking mother. Now he's the spiritual successor to the most powerful man in the world?! What next?! Was he the son of a Celestial Dragon?! How could he even compete at this point?!

"So cool! Do you know what this means?!" Luffy asked as he picked Bellemere up. She had given him amazing news. "I can kick anyone's ass!" Not exactly the reaction one would expect from that news, but the follow up was. With one big kiss planted squarely on the lips, Bellemere was frozen solid in shock, Nami and Nojiko were gagging, Sanji was screaming, and everyone else was still frozen from the previous news.

"That's. Wow." Bellemere was left staring to the distance after the kiss. Her entire body was tingling. Though that may have been the work of a blood manipulating boy with an inkling to have her be his girlfriend. She quickly realized what she said and turned a deep red before trying to talk her way out of it. "I mean…. That's such shocking news! That's why.. I said.. Wow.."

"Shishishi. This is so awesome. But I'm so great, I could be the Pirate King with any power." Luffy said confidently, puffing out his chest in a manly display. The fact that he was still holding Bellemere in one arm did a good job adding to the look.

"This is no joking matter young man. That power doesn't exist, period. It is off the books. All of them. It was deemed to powerful and dangerous for the public to know about." Bellemere said, trying to calm down his joy. "The fact that you're alive and have that power, means you're an enemy to the World Government."

"They're that scared? Awesome!" Luffy screamed with joy as he pulled her back into a full on hug. The news that would typically terrify someone to the point of running from the world was something that brought Luffy great joy.

"Are you even human?!" Bellemere asked with a yell as he squeezed her tightly. There was no way getting through his thick skull that this was a bad thing.

"No. Nuh uh. Not a chance." His crew stated automatically, making Luffy smirk. "Monster. Demon. Devil. Lucky bastard…" They each came up with a nice name for it though, save a bitter Sanji.

"Hey! Don't we have to kill that Arbong guy?" Luffy asked his friend. It was great meeting Nami's family and all, but they didn't actually accomplish anything standing there talking.

Everyone looked at each other a bit hesitantly. He was right. They still had to go take care of that massive fish smelling thorn in their side. Nami hugged him. "You. You're coming back. You're going to kill him."

Bellemere was still in Luffy's arm, though at least she was holding it together. But once Nami started to cry she couldn't help it. They both hugged Luffy and started to cry onto him. "We'll beat the snot out of you if you don't come back."

"W-we should go fight him though, so I can come back." Luffy said as he tried to lean away. One crying girl he could handle. Two was scary. This was too much.

"You're right Big Bro Luffy! Let's kick his ass!"

"That's the spirit!" Luffy yelled as he set Bellemere down and started walking towards the door. "Nami, Kaya. You two help spread the word. Cocoyasi is about to be free from Arbong!" Luffy yelled out as he started to run towards the giant dojo looking place in the distance.

* * *

"No killing everyone on your own Luffy! I want a decent fight after that last ordeal!" Zoro yelled in anger as he followed behind. He had been so damn blood thirsty since he was cheated out of a fight at the Baratie.

"Let it go already!" Gin yelled as he ran up aside Zoro. This was just getting old at this point.

"Fine. But no more stealing my fights!" Zoro yelled in response at both Gin and Luffy.

After a short run, which left Usopp panting like he ran a five K, they arrived at their destination. A place that, for obvious reasons, was called Arlong Park. A tall building Luffy could only think of knocking down. Nami wanted him dead. Bellemere wanted him dead. He ruined their lives. He made them cry.

"Arlong!" Luffy yelled as he kicked the gate down. His eyes were red with blood and his heart was pumping fast. "Which one of you is Arlong?!"

"That would be my name. You're interrupting my deal, human." A large saw-shark fishman said from his little throne.

The mention of the deal made them turn their attention to the man standing in front of him. A scrawny little marine with whiskers and rat ears on his hat. Not exactly the persona you'd embrace. "Scram you kids! We're negotiating."

"I have business with Arlong. Very important business." Luffy said coldly as he started marching towards the two.

"It can wait scum. Nezumi, you know the deal. Confiscate it on the grounds that she's a thief, and it's yours. I'm letting her slip from my clutches."

"Of course Arlong, anything for money." The creep said with a smile as he started walking towards the exit.

"Johnny. Yosaku. Deal with the rat." Luffy said before drawing back his fist and unleashing his fury on the still seated Arlong. He put enough force behind that punch to shatter concrete or bone. But Arlong wasn't human, so using human bones to compare wasn't the best choice. "You made my girlfriends cry!"

"Wait what?! Who do you think you are?! You'll get us all-" Nezumi was silenced by two swords held against his throat. The two experienced, though unlucky, bounty hunters were more than a match for the corrupt marine.

"No problem Big Bro Luffy! He won't take anything from Big Sis Nami!"

The fishmen stared in shock at the boy who just attacked their leader. Arlong was above all these lower life forms, how could one dare attack?!

"You pitiful human pest." Arlong said as he climbed out of his wall. His nose was bent at a ninety degree angle, but he was able to bend it back. "You need to learn your place on the foodchain!" He yelled as he rushed his attacker, ready to tear him to shreds.

* * *

"Which ones do you want, dartboard?" Zoro asked as he tied his bandana around his head. The octopus was giving him an angry look.

"The meal that likes to dress up like a karate master." Sanji said as he lit his cigarette.

"Usopp. You and I can take weird looking lip one, and his buddies." Gin said, eying the rather large group of fishmen that were actually here.

"Fear not! I, the great Usopp, will be providing supporting fire! From over here." Usopp said as he ran to the wall and climbed it, counting on the Man-Demon to act as a target dummy that hit things.

* * *

Arlong started to swing at the boy. One punch could kill most of the humans if he was as mad as he was now, but it wouldn't work. The damn pest kept dodging. His swings weren't fast enough, so he'd need to be faster.

"Are you fighting with your nose? Usopp! You need to take notes! The nose is a powerful weapon!" Luffy yelled as he moved out of the way of the attacks. Letting someone know you're invincible took the fun out of fights. Though luckily for Arlong he calmed down after that first punch.

"Luffy! Normal people don't use their noses! How many people do you think do that?!" Usopp yelled in annoyance at his captain. Did he seriously think anyone besides Arlong would use their nose as a weapon?

"I don't know! At least someone else! Just a thought!"

"Arrrg! Stop having a conversation when you should be dying! Shark on Tooth!" Arlong was infuriated. The boy storms in angry enough to take him on, then starts having a conversation?! He'd devour his insides while he was alive!"

The cyclone of teeth shot at Luffy at incredible speeds. His preoccupation with his conversation took him off guard, and the razor sharp teeth buried in his shoulder.

* * *

"Face it, Roronoa Zoro! You're not match for I, Hachi, am master of the Six Sword Style!" The octopus said as he swayed around and brandished his swords. All were poor quality and over used.

"I am far beyond your skill, no matter how many swords you use," Zoro said as he put trusty Wado in his mouth. He may not have been able to fight last time, but he didn't have a scratch on him. "You'll never compare to my Three Sword Style."

"What? I have twice as many swords as you! You could never compete with me!" Hachi yelled as he whirled his blades.

* * *

"What is your fighting style, human?" The large, oddly elbowed fishman asked, waiting for the man to make a move or drop his guard.

"I studied under Red Leg. I can kick your ass through concrete then make a good stew out of your corpse. You'll get to see that soon enough."

"I am a user of Fishman Karate, far superior to any human style. Let's see if you'll be a worthy fight. Stay focused, human." The fishman said before charging.

* * *

"It takes two of you to fight me? What a compliment. But I think they can handle you." The big lipped fishman said as he backed towards the waterway. If the humans could use a sniper, so could they.

"Please. Don't talk. Your face is so weird, and I need to focus on where I can hit these fish to cause the most pain." Gin said, staring down his opponents.

* * *

"What the hell?! Get off!" Luffy said as he started to punch the shark. It hurt, but wasn't doing any damage. The real problem was he now had a shark attached via the shoulder. "See how you like it than!" Luffy yelled before biting into Arlong himself. His ferocious bite broke his thick skin easier than most would expect, and he was rewarded with a mouthful of blood.

Arlong finally pulled away. He never expected a human to bite him back. It altered the dynamic he had grown to believe. "Guh. Human garbage taking a bite of me. How disgusting." He said to the human, who stood disturbingly still, staring in the distance.

"This. This is." Luffy licked his lips. The blood that filled his mouth was so delicious. Though what spilled out he had absorbed, which was working at maximum overdrive. "Delicious." Luffy said as he coated his eyes in blood and rushed towards the fishman. He needed more.

"What the hel-Ahhh!" Arlong had another bite taken out of his shoulder. The first one was just a survival tactic, this was insanity. "Get off! Disgusting human!" He yelled as he went to punch the boy. Unfortunately, Luffy was in no rush to stop digging in, and turned his head to blood where he punched.

Luffy finally pulled away and swallowed down the blood. He could give fishmen one compliment, they tasted great. "No wonder you're so angry… This isn't normal. This is Hi-Octane Crazy Blood, filling me up!"

"You're not a normal human! What the hell are you?!" Arlong had heard of plenty of crazy things over the years. But that human turned into blood when he punched him. If that was one of those Devil Fruits, it would be a pain.

"Hungry!" Luffy yelled as he rushed him again, coating his fists in blood clotted spikes. He couldn't think straight with the fishman's blood coursing through his veins. The taste of his blood in his mouth. He was going to get more blood. Preferably while he was alive, to keep it fresh.

Every punch that landed on the bleeding fishman only added to the frenzy. Both fighters were getting more brutal. The only problem was that brutality wasn't affecting one of the fighters. Every hit left Luffy unharmed and angrier than before. Even when Arlong tried to sling him into the water, it never worked. He'd grab, go to sling, and nothing would go with the throw. It was infuriating.

"What the hell does it take to kill one human?!" He yelled out as he kept launching at the boy, trying to rip him apart. Nothing he did was working. He was still a human dammit!

"Shishishi. Who said I'm human?" Luffy asked with a smile as he dodged the attacks. That blood was kicking up his reflexes. Too bad he'd have to kill that guy. He'd be great as a bloodbag. Arlong launched at him once again out of anger, but Luffy was ready. He reared back kicked him as he got close, sending him catapulting towards a wall. He'd need to get better footwear than his sandals if he wanted to do that again. Something about kicking an incredibly hard skull didn't add up for his feet. Even if he could recover from his injuries, they still injured him.

* * *

Hachi stood no chance against an uninjured Zoro. His abilities surpassed some swordsman, but no one with the fierce determination of Zoro. He did however sustain a few cuts from his fierce style, not to be unexpected from a fight. "You're quite skilled." Zoro said as he sheathed his blades. Hachi fell to the ground in a pool of blood. He was injured, but alive. Luckily for him two major things were keeping him alive. Zoro's honor among swordsman, and Luffy's intense focus on the blood of the saw-shark. "If you practice, you could be a worthy opponent." Zoro walked over to the octopus and rolled him over. He pulled Wado out of his mouth and pointed it at the fallen swordsman. "I expect you to get better, Six Sword Style Hachi."

* * *

"You're better than I expected, for a walking entree." Sanji said as slammed his foot into the fishman's side. He could feel at least one rib crack, which fit well with the injuries he had sustained. At least he didn't attack below the belt. He didn't need to say anything else to a worthy opponent.

"Your skills are noteworthy, human." The fish responded, panting from his injury. He had hit the blonde human many times, but he had been in fights with tougher enemies before by his mentioning of previous kicks. Fighting anymore would be suicide. He'd have to concede. If only the human had gotten distracted. "We will win in the end. It's the natural order of things." He gripped his stomach and fell to the ground.

* * *

The large lipped fish was in a long range contest with Usopp, who was still up on the wall. Unlike Usopp's various stars, the fishman had a seemingly limitless amount of ammunition. Sucking up water and shooting it at high velocities was just unfair! Luckily he had a few more tricks… "Usopp Water Star!" He yelled out as he fired the next shot.

The fish merely smiled and opened his mouth, eating the star. "Why would you think a water shot would.. work.. on… me… Hot! Hot!" The fishman started fanning his mouth.

"You have fallen for the deadliest of traps! Usopp Tabasco Star! Feel the burn of my spicy tricks!" Usopp yelled proudly. It was a very devious tool to use. Especially since the problem with Tabasco is, water only makes it burn worse!

"That was a dirty trick!" The fishman yelled as he started to drink water, resulting in an even more intense burn.

"Nice move Usopp! Now will you do something to actually injure the guy?!" Gin yelled in anger as he smashed another fishman to the ground. They were stronger than anyone he had faced before, but were still just grunts. Lots of grunts however. Now he could face the big lipped guy one on one, and he stood no chance.

* * *

While the other fighters in the park had some level of respect for each other, the same could not be said for the big show. Arlong and Luffy were hardly speaking. Charging each other and trading blows. Nothing Arlong could do worked. If he bit him, he bit back. He could never land a punch. Even after ripping out his teeth and using them as a weapon, the unspeakable happened. The boy used them on Arlong to tear into him even more! Finally Arlong had enough and smashed through his own building, searching for his Kiribachi. He was out of options, and out of his mind. His eyes matched Luffy's in color. If he had to tear down everything in the process he would find a way to kill that filth!

Luffy strolled through the hole with a smile. Not the typical, happy smile he normally had. He had a small smirk and blood dripping from his lips. His eyes were coated in blood and trained on Arlong's every move. He didn't want to simply rip the blood from him anymore. He was going to beat him down and tear him apart. Whatever it was in his blood, it was strong. The moment Arlong grabbed his weapon, Luffy leaped once more. His movements like a hungry animal attacking wounded prey. Whether or not Luffy was human was irrelevant. He was the predator. Arlong was his prey.

Arlong was ready for him. He raised the weapon high and prepared to swing. The moment he was close, he brought it down and cleaved through the boy, splitting him down the middle. His moment of relief was squashed as the boy kept moving and uppercutted him in the jaw. Arlong was sent flying up his own building with four puncture wounds in the sensitive area reaching up to his tongue. Just as he hit the last ceiling, his eyes widened in fear.

Luffy squatted down and rocketed up towards the fishman. Both arms were drawn back, fists clenched, ready to deliver a powerful blow. "Chi Chi Cannon!" He yelled before slamming his fists in Arlong's stomach. The blow was powerful, devastatingly so, but not intended to launch him anywhere. He wanted him close.

Arlong yelled in agony. Eight sharp points digging into his flesh, followed by two rocket powered punches directly above the holes had torn at his insides. The tear in his flesh left his internal organs more susceptible to the concussive blows. Even with his enraged state, it was too much. The boy was fueled by anger and some inhuman bloodlust. He started to fall back down toward the room he had kept Nami in for so many years. Working tirelessly for his benefit. If he couldn't recover fast, it would all be for naught.

Luffy roared out as Arlong fell. With a shoulder down he charged and knocked them both out of the top floor of building, crashing through some papers that were scattered on a desk. He put every ounce of rage in his body into forcing the fishman out with raw strength, and it worked. All eyes were on them as they crashed out of the building. Luffy used him as a living crash-pad to soften his landing. The defeated fishmen and the recently gathered villagers stared in disbelief, while his crew only smiled. They never had a doubt their captain would win. Though they didn't expect his… Victory Celebration.

* * *

Luffy had officially lost it. As soon as he landed he began to literally tear into the fallen foe. He gulped down large quantities of spilled blood hungrily. Arlong's aggressive nature was not just normal, it was biological. His blood was filled with so many different hormones he could hardly think. The adrenaline was overwhelming.

The crowd was terrified at the display. Arlong was a brutal savage who'd kill people as quick as look at them, but their hero was currently eating him, alive by the look of his breathing. If the boy was half as brutal outside of battle as he was inside, they'd be in even worse shape then before.

No one spoke up as Luffy indulged himself. He pulled the blood straight into his mouth, ignoring the crowd of terrified people. His friends wouldn't even move at risk of looking like another target to the blood crazed maniac. Nezumi was on the verge of vomiting. Arlong lacked any sense of empathy, but he would kill you quickly. He'd also never do this. If there was any divine entity above or below, let them make sure this boy could be negotiated with after he ruled this pitiful island.

Luffy finally stood from the disemboweled body of the fishman. He wiped his mouth off and breathed heavily, scanning for anyone he could fight. No fishman was standing, but there was a marine being held hostage for him to deal with. "Rat Guy." Luffy growled as he walked towards him. Johnny and Yosaku promptly backed away quickly, leaving Nezumi to crawl backwards in fear.

"W-we can obviously work out a deal! Same as with A-arlong! Better! Better than Arlong! You can even keep that girl Nami's mon-EEY!" Nezumi screeched in fear as a blood shard shot at his stomach, piercing in like a knife.

"You were going to steal from her!" Luffy yelled as he launched another. He had no interest in watching this one die. "Leave!" He yelled, coming down from his rage high. Luckily the ingestion of the blood was much more fleeting than the absorption into his blood. Otherwise, he'd have ripped him apart, starting with those whiskers.

Nezumi gripped his stomach and ran as best as he was able. No amount of greed would make him risk angering that demon. He'd run to his ship, set sail, and make his report on that monster. They'd need to know about this quickly.

* * *

Luffy turned to face the crowd, who were shaking with fear. They had received the news that someone was fighting Arlong, and had to see it for themselves. This was awful. Three people ran from the crowd with big smiles on their faces however.

"You did it Luffy! That was amazing! Great job!" The three women yelled as they rushed the boy, who hurried to wipe the blood from his mouth and swallow any still left. Nami reached him first and gave him a large hug, burying her head in his shoulder. "Thank you. Thank you. I didn't think he would ever be stopped."

After a kiss she backed away, letting her sister swoop in to hug him. "Thank you, Luffy. You really are as amazing as she told us." Nojiko said with a smile as she backed away. Her mother was about to burst.

Burst she did, metaphorically. Arlong had made her life hell. Killing Genzo all those years ago had made her harbor immense hatred for the fish. Her daughter had to work for the man to keep them alive. It was terrible. She had dreamed of killing him herself, but it wasn't possible. If she tried, her family would be killed. So she'd been silent for years. Then came this boy. A pirate with a heart of gold, or at least close to it for a pirate. She lifted him up in a hug and gave him a big kiss, taking the breath right out of the surprised boy. After the long, long, oh so long kiss, she tore away from him and smiled, before hitting him upside the head. "That was the bravest, dumbest, most brutal act of revenge I've ever seen!"

Luffy was in a state of shock. He hardly noticed the lump on the side of his head as he stared back at the older woman. She hit like an angry giant, but he couldn't feel it. He was lost in a swarm of thoughts, feelings, and rushing hormones that weren't murderous. She kept talking while he was lost in thought, but he caught the important bit at the end of it.

"The only way I can possibly repay you is with my body." She said in his ear, though it was loud enough for everyone to hear. "So consider me your new girlfriend."

Luffy fell back in a state of paralysis. His mind couldn't function anymore. Blood shot from his nose at rates that could put out a fire, and he was smiling wider than any of them had ever seen a human smile.

"I think I need a drink… A lot of drinks…" Nami said as she walked towards the town. It would take most of the booze on the island to calm her down from the fact that she was sharing her first boyfriend with her mother, but she had been preparing for it since they met each other. That's why it would only take half the island's liquor.

"You know Nami's not going to be happy. But at least you can keep an eye on her this way." Nojiko said, trying to pick out the positive from the situation. It was still a little weird that she may one day call him Dad… So many things were wrong with that.

"I can't help it dear. He did just save our lives. It's the least I can do." Bellemere cooed as she walked with the only daughter that would speak with her right now. Nami would certainly get over it, at least over time.

"Good job captain. You're my hero. Ero-cook won't be able to function right anymore." Zoro said with a smile. This was absolute gold. He had ammunition that could take him down forever after that.

"I can't believe it Luffy. You just shortened your lifespan! Nami's going to kill you!" Usopp yelled at his downed captain. How could he expect this to work?!

"We'll need a trained doctor quickly if he wants to stand a chance…" Kaya commented as she pulled on Usopp's arm, dragging him away.

"You really don't fail to impress, Captain." Gin said as he walked past, eager to get some alcohol before Nami consumed it all.

Sanji didn't say a word. He stared with fury and jealousy at his captain. He was the luckiest damn man on the planet. "Shitty mother fucker… Dammit!" He realized the accuracy of his insult and cursed himself. Heading in search of a woman before Luffy could get them.

* * *

After a few minutes of bleeding and reabsorbing the blood, Luffy snapped out of his shock. With a quick pinch to check if he was in fact awake, he jumped up and ran off towards the village. "Wait! I wasn't dreaming! Right?!" He yelled as he charged towards the town, leaving the structural unsound Arlong Park to crumble unceremoniously. A fitting end as he lay lifeless in front of the rubble.

Luffy was bouncing madly around the village, searching for his new found girlfriend. She had to be somewhere, but there were so many people. After asking most everyone in town he got some information, and immediately ran towards where she was.

"I'm sorry Genzo." Bellemere said as she knelt in front of the grave. His pinwheel spun quickly in the wind. "I couldn't do it myself like I said I would. I let someone else solve my problems. But he's a good man. I think you'd like him. Though you'd pull your old hard ass routine on him." Bellemere smiled a little at the memories. She could always make him shed his hard exterior with a little flirt. Too easy. "He'll take good care of us. Won't you?" She asked as she heard the footsteps. He wasn't trying to be subtle in the slightest.

"Huh? Oh me. Thought you were talking to the dead guy." Luffy said as he walked slowly towards her, putting an arm on her shoulder. "Of course I'll take care of you guys. I don't want anything to happen to my friends, or my girlfriends. You are my girlfriend, right?" Luffy asked with obvious worry, afraid he dreamed the moment.

"You're damn right I am." She said with a smile, pulling him down to her. She surely wasn't going to act embarrassed any longer. "This dead guy, is Genzo. We were friends, years ago." Bellemere said, squeezing him a bit tighter into the hug.

Luffy wheezed in her hold. Being retired certainly didn't make her soft. Erm, well. Weak. Weak would be the good word for his position. "Nami told me about him. He sounded like a good guy, saving you all like that."

"Yeah… Arlong came to collect, found Nami and Nojiko… Genzo told him the payment he made was for them. My payment for me. So Arlong executed him… I never got to thank him."

"You didn't need to, did you? I mean, you don't give up your life for a thank you." Luffy said, finally able to breathe from her death grip of a hug.

"Well that doesn't mean I don't want to thank him. He saved my family." Bellemere said, trying to argue with his logic.

"Well. They're all alive. There's your thank you. Come on, I want to show you our ship!" Luffy said as he helped her up and led her towards the docks.

* * *

One quick run later, they arrived. Luffy leaped up and brought Bellemere with him. He showed her around the ship, ending the tour precisely where he knew he would, the master bedroom.

"This is where we'll sleep! Cool huh?" Luffy said with a smile as she stared. The room was bigger than any other aboard, and the massive bed took up a lot of the space. It was obvious where he believed he'd spend a lot of time on the ship. He leaped to it in a single bound, patting the spot by him. "Come on! It's comfy." Luffy smirked at her.

Bellemere smiled and walked to the bed. She stood beside it and started to unbutton her shirt, which left Luffy's mouth agape. He had yet to actually see a woman naked, so this was quite a first time. Sure enough she wore no bra, leaving her breasts exposed. She slipped off her pants and climbed into bed, moving close to her new boyfriend. "You're right. It is comfy." She said with a smile, unaware of the impact it was having.

Luffy was on the verge of drooling. His first naked woman was endowed, older, and most importantly, already his. "Told you." Luffy said, eyes locked on her.

Bellemere tried to hide the blush. She had hardly looked at a man in years, and before that it was mainly flirting. Now she was in bed with a man who countered her advances with ones of his own, and it was quite exciting. "So, Captain, have any orders?" She asked in her seductive voice as she pressed against him.

Luffy looked at her, then at her breasts, and could hardly breathe. This was overwhelming, even when compared to the blood high he was on. He gulped and finally responded. "I don't think this is the time to order you aro-Owwwnd!"

Bellemere reached down and took a firm hold of his kintama, moving over on top of him with her hand still firmly gripping. "Now see, I was confused. You were talking like a man who didn't have these." She smirked as he winced. She had been called a ball buster before, but she never squeezed _that_ hard. Plus, it worked just as planned.

Luffy waited till she eased up and pulled away, gripping her hand and pulling it away. "Don't do that!" Luffy yelled in fear before panting. After a few breaths he stared her down. He'd play her game. "Well you're not doing that again! That's an order!"

"Yes Captain." She said with a pout, acting like it was something she'd miss. She hoped she wouldn't need to find something else to perk him back up, but by the look of his shorts, that would be unnecessary.

Luffy sighed in relief before realizing he still had a problem. An above average size one at that. He gulped once more as he looked at her. Ordering a woman to do it felt…wrong. Luffy decided to start out simply. "Take off my shorts. They feel really, really tight."

Bellemere crawled to him and followed the order. Tugging down on his shorts she smiled as he… Came out of his shell, so to speak. "No wonder they were tight, Captain. You've got a spare mast down here." She smirked as she gripped the base, sending a chill down his spine. She probably scarred him after the squeeze.

"Heh, thanks. Umm… Now…" Luffy's mind was being wiped. He had dreamed of this a hundred times, but he didn't know how to start. Just because she made him be in charge didn't mean he wanted to screw this up and not be good for her.

"Have you ever… Done this with a woman?" Bellemere finally asked. His eagerness to get girlfriends had quickly squashed any thought that he was inexperienced. Now however, she was realizing the truth. He had to be a virgin.

"Umm… No. I know how! I mean… I know what we do just… Not how to do it right…" Luffy said, rubbing his head. This may be the closest he had ever come to embarrassment. Not knowing what to do with someone who obviously did could be jarring. But it could also be helpful.

"I'm so sorry." Bellemere had the realization that she essentially forced him into this situation. Now she was staring down the barrel of the gun. Or, well, not necessarily a gun. "Let's back up a bit, okay?" She said as she sat up and ran her hands down his back. He was in new territory, so the savage approach was not the best route. "Kiss me."

Luffy nodded and followed her order. Kissing her slowly and keeping his hands on her hips. He now needed this to go well. This would be one of the most intense learning experiences of his life.

After a few minutes of the tender kissing, Bellemere pulled back and panted. If nothing else he was a good kisser. She motioned for him to start kissing her neck and started to guide him. "You're. A first timer. So don't worry. About being perfect." She panted as he kept kissing. He kept going lower, and lower. She had given him a hand gesture that could be construed to start there and go lower. However, from his route, she wouldn't complain. "But you're doing well. Just being around you is exciting."

Luffy kept kissing and licking. Starting at her neck, moving down to her supple breasts, over her rather impressive abs. He hadn't heard an order to stop, so he'd keep going. He had to stay silent as she talked about how she felt. He had been the cause of that, in more ways than one. His extra blood from battles was certainly helpful. He could speed up blood flow passively without much issue. Luffy could only do it to one person at a time, but at the moment it was all he needed. Extra blood flowing to some areas increased their sensitivity. He focused in on each spot he kissed to make it a little better.

Bellemere moaned softly as Luffy got lower. She moved her hands down to slide off her panties. He was doing a good job kissing, it was time for him to take the next step. "Okay Luffy. You know what that is, right?" She asked, waiting for his slight nod as moved to it. "Good. It's sensitive. But it makes me feel really good. So kiss it, and use your tongue." Sure as the sun would rise, he followed the order.

Luffy carefully started to kiss womanhood. As he did with every other spot, he started to speed up the blood flow everywhere he kissed, then at ever spot his tongue touched. He licked and kissed every fold he could feel. Luckily for her his increased blood levels also increased the amount of time he could hold his breath before needing oxygen, so Luffy could kiss for a very long time.

Bellemere finally tapped his head and motioned for him to come up. His first time needed to include more than just the wet and heavy makeout session he was giving her. With a flushed face she grabbed his shoulders. "Okay Luffy. I want you to take this," She softly grabbed the base of his member and pulled it to her awaiting sex. "and put it in here. Go slow at first. And if it feels like something's going to come out… Tell me." She didn't know the extent of his knowledge of reproduction, but she'd need to go through it. She couldn't have children herself, but god forbid he learn the wrong thing and has a child because of her being his first.

"Okay Bell…" Luffy said as he slowly followed her order. Slow thrusts at first. He knew enough by this point that this was the actual sex, but he needed to follow her instructions. He didn't know how far in to go, so he figured he'd just inch it in with each thrust. It was a bit more of a challenge than he expected, given the overall tightness of her, but it was accommodating him nicely. The slow pace let them both enjoy the new feeling. First time new for Luffy, long time coming new for Bellemere. But after Luffy enjoyed being all of the way inside of her, he started to speed up his thrusting. The moans from his lover proved he was doing it right. "Good. Right?" He asked as he started to pant. She kept digging her nails into his back, or pulling on his hair. Two things he had yet to learn were good signs.

"Yes! Don't stop!" She yelled out as she sunk her nails into his back. She was on the verge. For a first timer Luffy was a showstopper. His stamina alone was more than human. It probably had something to do with his ability to regulate himself, but it didn't matter. He was doing a mind blowing job. Her words of support were all he needed to go faster and harder. Which was all she needed to tear at his back like a wild cat and clamp down like a vice. "Luffy!" She yelled in ecstasy as he kept thrusting. Prolonging her toe curling orgasm evermore into a heightened state of euphoria.

"Bell! I can feel it!" Luffy yelled as rocked back and forth inside. The tight grip prevented the deep all in thrusts, but he didn't stop moving. Whatever was coming felt like a tidal wave.

"Let it out Luffy! You'll love it!" Bellemere had to stay in a semi-teaching mode for just a few more seconds.

A few more seconds were exactly what the doctor ordered. He let it out and flooded her insides with the long awaited tide. He squeezed her against him even tighter as he moaned out. After it stopped he let go and fell on the bed with her, panting and staring at the ceiling.

"You were. Amazing Luffy. But you can't. Cum inside. Every woman. You'll get them pregnant. Understand?" She asked as she caught her breath, unable to feel her legs from the intensity.

"Yeah. I understand. Can you answer a question?" Luffy asked, rolling to look at her.

"Sure. Go ahead."

"Can we do that again?" He asked with a big smile.

"Sure. Maybe tomorrow we… can..." She ended her sentence as she felt something poke her in the side. Teenage Boy plus total control of your blood. She may be too old for this…

* * *

Welp. There it is. My first lemon. I tried not to use the smuttier words to keep the feeling of the chapter the same. I know it's not the best Lemon out there. It's somewhere in the middle between absolute smut and pure lovemaking. But, I do hope you all enjoy it. They certainly did. Even when he doesn't have a rubber penis, he's still a ladies dream, isn't he? Localized blood flow control to heighten sensitivity? That's just cheating! Not to mention in theory his stamina for this is unlimited. Needless to say not being able to stretch won't hurt his game too badly. Q&A Time! P.S. I would like to see some more you guys. Especially from this chapter. Reviews may not be the sole reflection of a stories quality, but seeing that someone has taken to time to express their opinion on my story is an amazing feeling. It's truly what motivates me to keep writing. But please, keep your criticism constructive. I can only improve if I have a base to build off of.

Jack Hopper- Less of a badass? Just because someone is powerful off of their devil fruit power doesn't decrease their badass level. Would Whitebeard be as threatening with the Woshu Woshu no Mi? I doubt it. He's a man who can crack the sky with his fists. That's terrifying. If Roger got to be the best by taken on armies single handed, I say that improves it personally.

Anttolas- Welp, guess who's definitely in that harem now? It's Robin, because LuRo is the OTP. But seriously, Bellemere is now an official member of the Luffy fan club. Not only that, she's his first! Yay! (Yay? I doubt everyone will be happy with that)

Lightningblade49- Don't worry! I'm going into more detail with that next chapter! Luffy's brutal nature will attract attention before his actual power. Not even all the marines know about Roger's fruit, so to some it'll just be a scary Logia. But once it hits the higher ups, it'll blow up. Bellemere will be getting a bounty as well, at it will be relatively high. Being retired for over ten years just to resurface with this brutal maniac? Not good.

KuramaShadowFoxYokai- Hope this fight was epic enough! I tried to cover the various fights rather than focus on Luffy. Getting some of Arlong's blood had some… Interesting effects, to say the least. The idea that Arlong's rage isn't just from his past and his racism, but also from his very anatomy, is likely. So when Luffy got some of his blood, it was essentially a drug that made him want to fight. It didn't last too long on it's own as it started to dilute. His reaction post fight was also the unleashing of all that pent up energy. He was interested in eating a person, but a fish person would be the best he could do. Doing so by ripping him apart and drinking the blood from his internal organs mind you. Long story short, the fight wasn't the most epic compared to the Krieg fight, but it was certainly more brutal after. Hope that made up for it.


	9. Blood Boils

Hello, everyone! Glad to see such amazing support. Almost 20,000 Views and 100+ Reviews! I'm overjoyed with the popularity jump. Thank you all for your support through this, and I hope to keep providing you with great content. Battles that go the same will not receive as much detail as the new (and possibly improved) battles, but will not be skipped entirely. Eiichiro Oda owns One Piece.

* * *

Luffy yawned as the morning sun crept in his dark enclosure. A typical night's sleep for the Straw Hatted Young Man was three hours in a catatonic state. The only alteration from the was that he had gone into the wee hours of the morning with his most recently acquired girlfriend rather than thinking of how great it would be when he was Pirate King. Bellemere, like any normal person, liked to get her eight hours in to function at full capacity. With her newly acquired boyfriend however, this was likely gone forever. The boy was, in a word, insatiable. Like someone who never had sugar tasting it for the first time, he wanted more, and more, and more. That would actually be a good comparison, given she was initially full of energy, but was now exhausted. She also couldn't feel her legs, making it all the more like having too much sugar.

"Hey, Bell, get up!" Luffy yelled as he jumped up from the bed, searching for his shed attire. He didn't see a particular problem facing the world buck naked, but he didn't want Usopp getting upset should Kaya catch an eyeful.

Bellemere groaned at the sound of his yell. Typically she had to awake early to tend the tangerines, but this was hell. She just wanted a water to rehydrate, about twenty years of her youth back so she could actually compete with the monster of a man, and to sleep in just a while longer. Though only one of these things was possible at the moment, and it was only because the glass she fetched went unused upon her return to the room. "Five more minutes, honey." She said as she pulled a pillow over her head, content with being lazy just once.

"Come on! You haven't told me about that Pirate King thing!" He yelled as hopped back on the bad, shaking her lightly. The fight with Arlong, followed by the addition of her, then the subsequent loss of his virginity, made him forget all about it. Now she could finally explain how he shared the power of the most famous pirate in known history.

"Fine. But I'm not getting out of bed." Bellemere said as she pushed herself up to a sitting position. "I don't know all that much honestly. Roger was rumored to be a one man army who'd take on anyone with a smile. He was fearless, which made him feared. I still don't know how we caught him, or more importantly now how you ended up with his Devil Fruit." She said as she looked at the boy, now her lover. What had it been, twenty years? Did the World Government not confiscate the fruit? Was it stolen?

"That doesn't tell me anything." Luffy huffed as he crossed his arms. "Oh well… I think I can use it just fine on my own anyway." He smiled a bit as he started to leave the room, opting to let her rest. He'd definitely need to do that again. Was it older women, marine women, or just all women that could do that thing with their tongue? Eh, something he'd have to find out. For now he needed to worry about finding everyone. The first thing he did was check who made it back to the ship. Kaya was in the small non Luffy's woman quarters and Usopp in the men's. Which left Gin, Nami, Sanji, and Zoro to be found throughout the town. It was like a scavenger hunt with drunks and a pervert.

* * *

The first one that Luffy found, unsurprisingly, was Zoro. He was at the biggest bar in town, passed out on the counter after what was obviously a rowdy night of drinking and at least one brawl, in which he emerged the victor unquestionably. Luffy drug him out by the collar, which woke him up shortly after. "Ugh. Dammit Luffy, I think they had more liquor." He groaned as he pushed himself up to his feet, rubbing his head. Thankfully with Nami as competition he decided to drink just one place dry as a desert kingdom, less he get in a drinking contest with a woman getting over the fact that her boyfriend is dating her mother. It was still nothing but joy to Zoro.

"Well too bad. We can't just stay here, Zoro! Adventure!" He yelled out as he started to run to the next bar. Surely they'd find Gin or Nami there. Luckily for him, he did. Nami had awoken from her blackout and was helping herself to the top shelf sake and whiskey when the two barged in. "Nami! Come on! We need to go!"

"Fine. Just let me get a few bottles to go…" Nami said as she started fill her arms with the bottles of premium hooch. This was the closest she had to a therapist and would probably be the best one she could get. To hell with her liver!

Luffy escorted his two friends back to the ship. Zoro couldn't find his way back with a compass and a map, so having a drunk navigator to guide him was kind of redundant. Luffy was gifted with praise from everyone he passed who was somehow conscious from the partying. He greeted them with rushed smiles as he tried to keep Nami walking a straight enough line towards the ship. When they returned, they were greeted with a nice surprise. Gin and Sanji were standing on the edge of the ship smiling down at them.

"Nami-swan! I got you a gift!" Sanji yelled as she approached. Few forces on the planet could stop Sanji from hitting on a woman in his own special way. Luckily Luffy wasn't too worried about whatever gift he may have gotten her.

"Hey, you made me help too you bastard!" Gin yelled in anger at Sanji, who was leaving him out in mentioning just how he had acquired the gift. "We dug up your savings and brought them aboard!" He yelled, taking the joy of the reveal away from Sanji as payback.

"That's so nice of you guys!" Nami yelled out in a drunken haze. With enough alcohol in her blood to kill a charging elephant sword, she didn't even know who she was thanking.

"Oh Nami-swan! I knew you'd like it! How about a kiss?!" Sanji asked as he swooned his way towards her. Through closed eyes and his own kissing noises, he could hear something. The snickering of a green haired swordsman. He opened his eyes and saw Luffy between him and his beloved Nami, and it was at this moment he knew, _he fucked up._

"No kissing my _girlfriends!_ " Luffy yelled as he floored the blonde cook with a single punch downward, embedding his face in the deck and sending Zoro flying backwards. It was in a storm of laughter, but he was still a casualty.

After a quick patch up from Kaya, Sanji was up and no where near at them, less his next kiss be the floor once more. He'd need to get a hold of a woman before Luffy could get his bloody paws on them if he ever wanted to have a woman.

Luffy helped Nami to the master room and laid her into the bed. She'd need to sleep off that drunken stooper before she was any real use. Luckily Bellemere knew some basic navigation from her time with the Navy. Just another perk of having her join. As they were about to sail, however, another member of the family ran towards the dock.

"Wait! Mom! Luffy! Nami!" Nojiko yelled as she charged towards their ship, carrying a large duffel bag she could hardly hold up. Everyone on the ship looked out at her, wondering one thing that didn't really get wrapped up yesterday. 'Will she join too?'

"Here!" She said as she slung the duffel bag up and onto the ship. "You forgot these in your rush, mom!" She yelled out before putting a hand on her hip, staring up at her mother, who was still clutching the railing.

"You really are more mature than me sometimes." Bellemere said as she opened it up. Some clothes, old pictures, and most importantly for their survival, her sword and rifle.

"Hey! Why don't you join us! It's lots of fun being a pirate!" Luffy yelled happily from his spot by Bellemere, who was rummaging through her bag of things.

"No thanks! A pirate's life isn't for me. But swing by when you're Pirate King, I may like dating the most powerful man in the world." Nojiko said before sticking her tongue out and turning away, leaving everyone to sweat-drop and fall.

"No fair!" He yelled, feeling his gut clench at how close he was to having a new girlfriend. "Well, I'm coming back! I'm going to be King of the Pirates!" He yelled triumphantly, practically claiming her for the future. Though of course, that was her plan in the first place.

* * *

Luffy begrudgingly sat on the figurehead as they left. It gave him time to reflect and think. He liked to do this after a fight. It gave him an opportunity to come up with cool new names for his attacks. That biting thing Arlong did was cool but pretty impractical. Hopefully, he could chameleon the move of someone cool. His thoughts were interrupting by the yell of surprise from Bellemere.

"Luffy! Come check out your bounty!" Bellemere yelled as she looked at the paper Nojiko had stuffed in the bag along with her things. Apparently, rat guy got to report rather quickly, or Luffy really was a monster before she joined him.

"Oh cool! I got a whole page and everything!" He said as he snatched the page. "Wanted Dead or Alive. Monkey D. Luffy. Reward..." Luffy started to grin widely before turning it around. "Sixty Million Beli!" He yelled out to his crew, who stared at it in disbelief. "Yeah! Apparently, I'm a… Major Menace who slaughters his enemies… Hey, that's not fair! I left that stupid clown guy alive! Maybe… And… Umm… Fat lady!"

"A real saint, captain." Gin commented with a smirk. His new captain not only outranked everyone in East Blue, he blew them out of the water. He did so with brutal efficiency as well.

"Well I got a bounty for joining you too… Fifteen Million. Looks like they aren't too happy with marines turning to the life of piracy." Bellemere commented as she looked at her bounty.

"We can look at these all later… Someone's heading straight for us." Luffy said as he looked past them at a single person ship floating almost lazily towards them. Luffy waited for it to get a bit closer before he yelled out at him. "Hey! Why are you in that floating chair?!" Luffy yelled, ignoring the large crucifix mast and coffin like features.

The strange man stood and looked up at the ship, seemingly sizing it up. Everyone looked back at him as well, questioning his intent. All but the second demon on the ship, who was shaking behind them all. "I am looking for the one known as Luffy." The man said loudly with heavy authority.

"That's me!" Luffy yelled out, hopping up on the railing. "You wanna join my crew?" He asked, making the man do something it was obvious he hadn't done in a while, smile.

"I believe I will pass. You are the one who took out the remainder of the Krieg Pirates?" The stranger asked, stepping up from his chair and walking to the edge. The boy certainly had the gall of someone who'd take on a few thousand people. But was it a facade?

"Most of those guys, yeah. Why are you looking for me than?" Luffy asked, sitting on the railing and letting his legs dangle. If someone didn't want to join his crew, why would they even look for him?

"I was using them to alleviate my boredom, so I believe that burden now falls on you." The man said as he reached for the large blade on his back, gripping the handle and eying down the ship.

Gin swallowed his shock to yell out in fear. "That's him! That's the monster!" He yelled frantically as he saw the man grab his blade. "H-hawkeye Mihawk!" A name picked up from a whisper of a rumor. The only swordsman with the kind of power to take out a ship with a single slice.

* * *

Zoro smiled at the name. To think, he'd been itching for a real fight. This was it. His opportunity. He approached Luffy and put a hand to his shoulder. "Captain. Do not interfere, no matter what." Zoro said, causing Mihawk and Luffy to end their staring contest for a moment. "This is my dream." With that, Zoro turned to Mihawk. "I will give you your fight, Dracule Mihawk!"

Mihawk smirked and jumped up to the deck of the ship he was ready to cleave in two. Typically young and stupid kids like him would challenge him, thinking it would be easy. This one at least knew he may die, and didn't want to be saved from his death. This could indeed be interesting. But no matter, he was still a miniscule threat. Mihawk pulled his pocket knife from its decorative scabbard and took his stance. "Let us begin, swordsman."

Zoro bit down on Wado hard enough to make a dentist cringe. He was going to defeat Mihawk and he wouldn't even acknowledge his skill enough to use a real sword?! He'd show him the error of his ways!

Luffy balled his fists as the two started their fight. Everyone else hid behind something in case the fight moved, but he knew it unnecessary for himself. The moment the fight was over, he'd be right on them. That's all the promise included.

Mihawk hardly changed facial expressions as he expertly deflected the blows. After years of training and sword-fighting, this was child's play. But he did show potential. Somewhere beneath the roaring flurry of slices was real talent and technique, as well as a drive he hadn't seen in years. Whatever reason this child had to challenge him, it was what he based his life on. "You're sloppy, swordsman. Have you ever been in a real duel?" He questioned genuinely, though he knew it would sound like an insult.

"Arrrggg! I've fought the best in this sea you bastard!" Zoro yelled, losing his composure to guilt and rage. Two grave enemies to a swordsman. No matter how hard he tried to land a hit, however, it didn't work. A flick of the wrist and he may as well have kept his hand steady.

Mihawk almost yawned in his face during his attack. It was pathetically weak, but at least he wouldn't give him an inch to counter. Quite the feat. "You say that as if I should be impressed." He commented, making his opponent angrier and sloppier, leaving him an opening. "You're much too wild to fight me." He stated as he went on the offensive, forcing Zoro to use all three swords to defend himself. "Why do you fight, swordsman?!"

"Because if I don't fight you now, I may never get the chance again!" He yelled from his defensive stance, fiery as ever. He wouldn't back down because he was losing. He'd never-

Mihawk had done it. He slipped through the defenses and punctured through his chest, easing right between his ribs. "You may not get that chance again anyway." Mihawk stared into the eyes of his opponent. There was a knife less than an inch from his heart, and he wouldn't even blink. "Do you fear death, swordsman?"

"Dying was never a part of my plan. But I take no shame in dying while fighting you." Zoro said, swallowing his pride. He wanted to be the greatest swordsman on the planet, but if he lost to him, that was as far as he was meant to go.

"If that is the case, you will not die by this blade," Mihawk said calmly before sheathing his pocket knife and unleashing Yoru, his Black Blade. "You will die from the most powerful sword you shall ever see."

Zoro sheathed his swords, tossing the nameless ones overboard for being too weak. If he survived this and was able to fight Mihawk again, he could only have the best blades. He gripped Wado, presumably for the last time, and extended his arms. "How kind of you, but I seek no pity."

"I have pity for no man. This is a matter of respect. State your name, swordsman." Mihawk said as he gripped Yoru, eying his form. If he truly was a man who would vie for his title, he could survive a simple slash.

"I am Roronoa Zoro, and I will become the World's Greatest Swordsman," Zoro said, sending his gaze straight to the greatest.

Mihawk smiled. Even when he knew he would die, he wouldn't give an inch. "I will remember your name, Roronoa Zoro." With that said, he brought down the blade. A diagonal slice across his chest that would kill any normal man. He could feel the tip of the blade cut across Zoro's rib cage, digging in to each bone and marking him for life. He watched the blood shoot out of the wound and began to sheathe Yoru, or at least, he tried.

Luffy's eyes were red with blood. His first friend had just been split open like a freshly hunted animal. It wasn't even a fight. It was two quick moves that left Zoro on the ground, possibly dead. "You bastard!" But that didn't matter. The fight was over, and so was his promise. He formed his blood blade as he ran towards the attacker. He may have overwhelming skill, but that doesn't matter if you can't move.

Mihawk stared at the boy with a faceless expression. No matter how much he tried to move, he couldn't budge. It was as if he was locked in place. Fear was an emotion that died out too long ago for him to know how it felt anymore, but this was exciting. He may very well be killed by someone in the East Blue, weakest of the seas.

"Luffy!" Zoro yelled as his captain came close to Mihawk, stopping him in his tracks. The pain was intense. Every breath tore at the wound and pushed on the cuts to his bones. "You can't. Kill him." Zoro said slowly, pacing himself. If he spoke too much in one turn, he may very well pass out. "He's my goal. I will not let you fight him for me. I will not lose another fight until I have claimed his title."

Luffy stared at Zoro, then back at Mihawk. He absorbed the blood blade back into his body and stood still, focusing now on Mihawk. That was what Zoro wanted. To defeat him and become the greatest. He couldn't take that from him, no matter how much he wanted to.

Mihawk finally felt his body return to his control. Whatever this boy was, he was certainly more frightening than the real swordsman. 'Shanks was right about him. Skill doesn't matter in a fight with him.' "I'll be keeping an eye on you as well, Monkey D. Luffy. You seem interesting." With that, Mihawk hopped down back to his floating coffin. Leaving them to pick up the pieces of his nice little visit. "I will face you again, Roronoa Zoro! Surpass this blade and claim your title!"

* * *

Shortly after, Zoro was sprawled across the kitchen table and having his wounds dressed. Sake for disinfectant and an old needle to do the sewing, not the most pristine conditions. When you throw away the life of a bounty hunter to become a pirate, you give up most luxuries. Such as a soft bed, admiration, a good bounty. Though with that said, Luffy was sleeping in an exceptionally large bed with two women and a hundred million beli in his metaphorical pocket. Maybe it was just his luck.

Gin was experiencing the heaviest impact of the interaction however. He could hardly speak, wouldn't look anyone in the eye, was afflicted with terrible shakes. He had seen the monster that wiped out half his old crew fight with a member of his new crew with overwhelming higher skill. That was the Grand Line that they'd be going to. If that wasn't enough, his new captain was the devil that took out the other half of his crew, and had come close to eviscerating the monster swordsman. He was one talking animal away from having a damn meltdown.

Luffy was taking it all a bit differently. He was enraged by the brazenness of that Hawk guy. Hopping up to his ship and threatening his crew. Nearly killing Zoro. It was enough to enrage any captain. But there was nothing he could do. Mihawk was Zoro's fight, whether he'd win or not. The only thing he could do now was sulk on the figurehead and stare at the land they were approaching. This was a terrible situation.

With Nami out of commission for the next few hours, Bellemere was in charge of navigation. Despite years of seafaring, she wasn't as skilled as her naturally talented daughter, so they were going at a slower pace than normal. Her experience did keep her out of the Calm Belt, however, but that meant they could only plausibly head to one place. Loguetown. She hadn't been there in ages. "Land Ho!" She yelled out with little enthusiasm. The mood of the ship was down since the swordsman had been injured, and even she was affected.

* * *

Some time later, they docked. Their was surprisingly little presence near the port. Maybe it was because of the approaching storm, but whatever it was, it was good for them. They could get some much needed supplies and some new equipment. Bellemere would need to get her sword sharpened and her rifle checked. They had been buried for years since Arlong came along and needed some desperate care. Gin thankfully didn't need anything himself. His tonfas were his main weapon and perfect for fighting. Though Zoro may need some company after his injury. Sanji wanted to get some food for them all. Supplying the ever growing crew was going to get pricey, but luckily the beautiful Nami had funds for them all. Kaya would be getting some medical textbooks and supplies, less another full body slash befall one of them. If Nami awoke anytime soon she could get the new clothes she had talked about. Luffy would undoubtedly go to one place and one place alone, Gold Roger's execution platform.

"We'll meet up here in a few hours, got it?" Bellemere stated to them all, getting their looks of annoyance. Itineraries were no ones favorite, but they would definitely need it to stay on track.

"Yes, ma'am." They all said in monotonous unison, kicking the ground beneath their feet. It was like going on a field trip with an overbearing mother. Though most of the crew didn't know that feeling, either not knowing, having, or caring about their parents.

* * *

Gin and Zoro headed for the nearest weapon shop. Bellemere was almost as stingy with the money as Nami, but at least she wasn't charging him. She believed in a well equipped soldier and couldn't expect him to pay back the resupply. Outside he noticed a woman fighting some brute, but brushed past it when she easily defeated him. It was impressive, but he needed to focus on getting new swords. He limped around the shop looking at the swords. The wound was still fresh and despite his amazing strength, he couldn't rebound that quickly. The woman walked into the shop clumsily, falling square into the injured swordsman and opening up a few stitches. The swallowed yell filled her ears and she scrambled to her feet.

"I am so sorry!" She yelled as she reached to pull the green haired man up. She didn't think it was that bad when she fell onto him, but then she saw the large wound that she undoubtedly reopened for him. It was paramount to an assault on a civilian out of pure clumsiness.

Zoro was about to yell at her or threaten her life, but he couldn't muster a word. The woman looked identical to the last person he ever expected to see. A long dead rival that stood as the foundation for his world. "K-kuina?" He groaned as he stood, grasping the wound.

"N-no. I'm Tashigi. Master Chief Petty Officer Tashigi!" She yelled, falling into a stiff-backed stance in front of the injured man. Stating her rank was second nature, and would possibly help smooth things over. Though of course, it may not go over well if he reported her to Captain Smoker…

Gin froze at the mention of her rank. A marine quite literally just stumbled onto them and injured Zoro. This was not good. Especially if she saw the wanted posters for them all.

"Good for you..." Zoro said, averting his gaze and looking in the discount sword barrel. He'd start with the cheap ones and look at the better ones after that. With any luck, he could find at least one good sword in this bin and have more money for another one. He didn't much care for the fact that she was in the marines. He and Gin were more than a match for them, even injured. Zoro grabbed up one of the swords he could hear calling his name. Maybe it was blood loss, but it was speaking to him.

"Let me make it up to you! That's…umm… let me look it up." She could tell by the appearance that it was some named sword from her book. Why it would be in that bin confused her, but those mistakes tend to happen.

"I can't allow you to buy that sword!" The shopkeeper yelled as Zoro placed it on the counter. "It shouldn't even be in that bin, it's cursed!"

"It is that sword than! Sandai Kitetsu! It curses all of its owners with- What are you doing?!"

Zoro wordlessly drew the blade and looked at the two naysayers. He was too tired to deal with curses or any other nonsense. If he wasn't lucky enough to tame a curse, Mihawk would have killed him in the fight. "If this sword deems me unworthy, let it kill me now." He dragged the blade across his stitches, eyes closed. He wasn't giving it permission to cut, so it wouldn't dare. After he completed the trial, he cut into the wooden counter, slicing it like butter. "It likes me." Zoro said with a smirk, looking at the two who stared at him.

"That was the dumbest thing I have seen in my lifetime." The shopkeeper said, staring in awe at the bravery and stupidity of the young man. He couldn't believe the most bloodthirsty sword in his shop wouldn't shed a drop of his. Maybe it really did like him.

"You're insane!" Tashigi yelled, looking at him and the sword. By all accounts, he should be bleeding out on the floor. Why did he try something so risky? Who was this green haired swordsman?

* * *

Luffy whistled to himself as he explored the town. He wasn't too interested in any of the shops. He liked his vest, didn't use any weapons, going to get food would end poorly. The one spot that he wanted to see however was crowded by so many people he could hardly get through. He could hear yelling about some execution. Whoever it was, it was really annoying. He wanted to get a look at the stand dammit! This better be good. At least he could get some blood…

"Here we have two pirate captains that have formed an alliance. This behavior is dangerous and deplorable. We can not let this go lightly. Let it be known, any and all pirates trying to operate in my jurisdiction will be executed!" A muscular white haired man was yelling from the execution platform. Luffy immediately knew he must be the captain in charge of this island. At least both of the people scheduled for execution were adults. They even looked familiar. "Captain Buggy of the Buggy Pirates. Captain Alvida of the Alvida pirates. You two have been deemed a danger the ordinary citizens of the sea. Operating in unison is unforgivable, and as such you are to be executed." Smoker hated using the old platform. As much as he hated piracy, this was a special spot in history. To think, just because these two had formed an alliance, they got to be executed on the famous platform.

Neither could or would speak. Their unique powers meant both would need to be placed in seastone cuffs. It left them sick and weak. Buggy got to experience it a few times in his time with the power, while Alvida was new to the feeling. It was definitely the worst feeling she had felt.

Luffy moved through the crowd towards the platform. He knew the clown guy Buggy, who he had already forgiven for the previous encounter. No one really got hurt, and he did get his ass thoroughly kicked, so there was no grudge to hold. Whoever the woman was though, she was pretty hot. Oh wait, no. Bellemere was hot, and Nami was pretty. So she'd have to be… Cute? Cute would work. Maybe she'd like to be his girlfriend? It would be a mute point if she was executed though.

"You are the worst ally I've ever had." Alvida muttered out finally, staring out of the crowd. All she wanted was to find that straw hatted boy and claim him as her own. Of course after finding this damn clown and believing a word he said, they got caught by the only person in the sea that had a weapon that could hurt her!

"This is all your fault! My plan would have worked perfectly if you listened." Buggy spat back, still with enough will to fight her if not the marines. Quite an ironic ending for someone immune to sword attacks, being decapitated. Same spot as Roger himself too. How terrible.

Smoker stepped back and let the executioners take their place. The rickety old structure surely couldn't hold much anymore, but it did serve to show examples to the town. Normally they'd get last words, but that bickering would serve.

Luffy began climbing the platform in his blood form. Moving up as a climbing stream. The shocking thing was no one noticed till he got right to the top, where everyone was staring. The shocked screams did little to warn the marines who were prepared to decapitate the pirates however, as they were expecting as much. Luffy punched the two that were behind the woman first, then the ones behind Buggy. He was able to snatch the keys before they fell down to the crowd, who thankfully broke their falls. He felt weak as he started to unlock them, but it subsided after they were released.

Buggy stared in shock at his rescuer. He sooner expected Red Hair than that damn Straw Hat. "What the hell are you do-" Before he could finish his sentence, Luffy gave him hard shove off of the platform. That was certainly not the tone you use when talking to your savior, and Luffy was in no mood to hear it.

Alvida looked at the sailing Buggy, then at the raven haired savior. She could feel in her stomach that she really didn't need to follow in his footsteps. "My hero!" She yelled, giving him a large hug. It would keep her from being thrown off the platform at very least to do some sucking up, as much as she hated it.

"Shishishi. No problem. Who are you, anyway?" Luffy asked, ignoring the encroaching marines.

"You don't remember me? That hurts." Alvida said, pouting her lips. "It's me, Alvida."

"Really? I thought that guy was blind or something… You got really thin! And cute!" Luffy yelled, looking her over. He didn't know what deity to thank for the transformation, but they were good. Before she was so fat she probably didn't know what her feet looked like. Now… Hubba Bubba. No, wait, that was a gum. No time to think!

"Well thank you, but we have some bigger things to worry about than my waistline." She said as she looked out at the plaza. The civilians all ran away once they were freed, and now marines were moving in. With her crew gone and herself disarmed, this boy would have to be one hell of a fighter.

"Well… It's not the biggest thing to worry about anymore." Luffy snickered, making her stare at him in anger. The death-stare sent a familiar chill up his spine. Was every girl he tried to date going to be so scary? That would have to be something to be scared of later, as right now they were surrounded.

"Surrender pirates!" Some poor faceless fodder marine with no chance of fighting those two one on one. But as was the way with marines, overwhelming numbers were the main weapon. None of them were privy to his power, however, so they did not know that tactic was destined to fail.

"Dammit Luffy!" Distant screams could be heard from the fringes of the marines. "We don't babysit you for ten minutes and you start up a damn riot?!" Gin and Sanji were yelling at him, taking out the preoccupied marines with ease. Zoro was rather far behind, unable to run like his fellow crew-mates.

"Hey, guys!" Luffy yelled, waving at his crew. "This is Alvida! She's going to join us and be my new girlfriend!" Luffy declared, making up his mind for them both. Sanji fell over in pain from the emotional blow. What would he have to do dammit?! Be kidnapped by beautiful women?!

"We never discussed that!" Alvida yelled in shock and anger. How dare he?! Not recognizing her, insulting her former self, and now he had decided on his own she was his girlfriend? She was right about him, he was perfect for her.

"So?" Luffy asked, cocking his head. He noticed the marines were now focusing on his friends and pointed it out. "I think you can get down now." Luffy said, pointing to the crowd. Alvida took the chance and started to climb down. Getting about half way before jumping. Luffy was about to jump down, but decided to do what he wanted to from the start. Admire the view. It was all in all, pretty amazing. You could scout out every corner of the plaza from up here. The air smelt of the sea. This was The End of the Pirate King, and The Beginning of the Pirate Era. Luffy smiled as it all flooded his mind. "I'm going to be King of the Pirates!" He yelled proudly, halting the ongoing battle to be awarded the stares. Uttering those words would mean you're hunted. To yell them from the most infamous pirate monument in modern history was a loogie in the eye of the marines.

Smoker bit his cigars in half at the decree. This was that rookie he had just read about. Just because he was worth sixty million, he thinks he has the right to make that claim?! He lost his tactical thinking and ran from his post, ordering the marines on how to attack the enemy. With his jitte drawn he aimed square for the pirate's chest. He'd stop this dream of his before he ever entered the Grand Line.

Or at least, he thought he would. Lightning crashed down inches from his face, sending him on a new course for a nearby section of concrete. The shocking show made all the marines gasp. The pirates however, gasped over a different and far worse turn of events. While Smoker had been scared by the sudden electrical discharge, Luffy had been the recipient of the shock. No one could see exactly what happened to him, but he could certainly feel it. His skin was charred at the sight of the strike, he could feel his blood literally flash boil in his veins, his heart was thrown into a completely new rhythm. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as his brain worked triple time behind the scenes, trying to fix the damage dealt to the once invincible body. Luckily for it, he was beyond human.

"Luffy!" His friends yelled in shock, no pun intended, at the sight. With this many marines, a logia marine captain, and Zoro injured, they needed Luffy. Now he was frozen on the top of that execution platform, steam rising from his body. This meant having to fight all of the marines, getting his smoking body from the center of town, and retreating without their captain. Were they doomed to fail? Was this how it was going to end?

* * *

Smoker climb out of the crater he had just created in the ground and groaned. Of course he would be so jarred by the lightning strike that he didn't change form for the crash, just his luck. He scanned the battleground and noticed a shockingly small amount of fighting. What the hell was with those marines? His eyes then shifted to the top of the platform, where his jaw dropped. Blood was coursing over the boy's body, shooting out and back in. He didn't look like a person anymore, more like a tall and lean blob. The steam arising was rivaling Smoker's, which reminded him to get out two more cigars. Nevertheless, it wasn't going to stop him from capturing that pirate, or his name wasn't The White Hunter Smok-

"Smokey!" An older woman's voice rung out through the air, sending a bone-chilling breath through the Captain's body. He locked up tighter than if he was addressing an admiral, and every orifice closed so fast it could cut a cigar. "Look at you all grown up!" Bellemere yelled with a smile, implementing her plan. If even a fraction of his old fear still manifested, she could buy Luffy some time.

"Sir Bellemere sir." Suddenly Smoker was a young cadet once more, being teased and berated by the older woman. The fear and respect hadn't gone away in the years since her service in the marines, which was detrimental at the moment.

"At ease, smokey," Bellemere said as she walked to him, grabbing one of his cigars from his hand. "You know these are bad for your health, right?" She asked as she lit one and popped it in, taking a long drag and blowing it back at him.

"I don't worry about it." Smoker said, staring back at the platform. He wanted to launch out and take the straw hat while he was doing, whatever the hell it was, but that would surely earn him the beating of a career for leaving his once senior officer. "I'd love to catch up, but I have pirates to-"

"Oh don't worry about them. If you're competent, let your men handle them. I'm sure you taught them well enough to take them on." She was lying through her teeth with the best of them. Luffy's crew could easily take on the infantry under any marine command. But that wouldn't be apparent immediately. "Besides, I haven't seen you in years. You were just a little runt back then."

Smoker gritted his teeth and grabbed two more cigars. He'd need three to get through this encounter. "Well I'm no runt anymore. I'm a Captain now, and I have a responsibility to stop those pirates." Smoker started walking back towards the fray, ready to capture them all. He noticed the raven haired boy at the top of the stand was gone, and that was a very bad sign. He turned back to ask if she saw just where the hell he went, but she had vanished. Another very bad sign.

* * *

"Captain Smoker! Help!" A marine yelled from the mass, screaming as if he was set on fire and he was holding the firehose.

Smoker rushed to fight but saw no pirates. His marines were all blood spattered and shrieking in pain. "Where did they go?!" He yelled out in anger, wondering how they managed to defeat them all.

"He's on us! It burns!" Marines started to yell as they dug at the blood on their bodies, trying to scrape it off. It was bubbling on their skin, a sure sign it was boiling. It left them all shrieking in pain.

"What do you mean he's on you?! What the hell…" The blood dripped off of the marines to their relief. Arms, Legs, Chests, even Faces were left with horrible burns from being encased in the boiling blood. The mass of the bubbling liquid formed into an unstable form that could barely be described as human. Once it took a definite shape however, it could hardly be called the Straw Hat pirate from moments before. He was taller, broader, and just...less human. A slit of a mouth that wasn't yelling taunts. Blood red eyes. Not bloodshot, completely red. "What did you do to my men?!" Smoker yelled out in anger at the boy before him, demanding answers.

But none came. The boy's focus was on the marines, still writhing from their burns. Smoker gripped his fists tight, waiting for the sound that would determine whether he'd go for a capture or a kill. He reached for his Jitte and charged when he heard it. "Shishishi." He laughed at the agony of his men!

Luffy didn't even look up from the ground when he dodged. He could feel the angry charge of the white haired man. He could feel everyone. His heart was pumping in overdrive after that lightning strike. It was unreal. The blood was coursing through his veins so quickly the vessels would burst in some places, but his body would just fix and reinforce them. Luffy was jittery and red eyed from the flow. His heart was pumping hundreds of beat per minute in his chest and he could feel every beat. This was causing his blood to boil from the friction, his brain to focus on more details. He was in a primal, almost bestial state of existence. His personality was all but shot off to avoid any long term damage. Luffy was not in there. "Too. Slow." Luffy uttered before dodging another attack, eyes still on the writing marines. Feeling the blood in the man acted like a sixth sense that let him dodge attacks he couldn't actually see. Though when he went to counter, his fist went right through the Logia stomach harmlessly.

"You damn monster! I'll make you pay!" Smoker knew he couldn't be injured by the blows. Whatever fruit power he may have, it was nothing compared to his. He could fly, avoid bodily harm, and trap people in his smoke. He was the expert pirate trapper. "White Out!" He stuck out his arms and sent out waves of smoke, intent on trapping the boy and sending him to Impel Down. He'd pay for that twisted assault. The pirate he knew to be the newcomer Luffy was not keen on being engulfed in smoke however, and launched into the air with a massive, concrete shattering blast. Before he could readjust his shot, a shard made of the boy's blood was launched at him. He merely smirked and let it pass through. "You've never encountered a Logia, have you? Your dirty tricks won't work on me!" A paramecia that let him control his own blood, interesting. But useless against him.

Luffy roared in response and started focusing on the white haired man. Whatever he was in the primal eyes of the once carefree boy, it wasn't a human. His arms were smoke, while the rest of him was flesh and…blood. Luffy landed back on the ground and focused on the parts of the… Thing, that were flesh and blood. He locked it in place and charged, fist clenched with a single spike protruding from the middle knuckle. If he couldn't hurt smoke, he'd hurt the body.

Smoker brought his arms back and reached for his Jitte. Once the boy hit him and got lodged in his chest, he'd counter with a quick hit to the head. He got ready to shift form, but nothing happen. It wasn't the heat of battle. It was one boy for crying out loud. Why the hell couldn't he do something as simple as shift his heart, lungs, ribs, and muscle tissue into smoke?! He didn't get much time to ponder it however, as the wild animal was on him. With a quick punch, his lung was punctured. That spike was as hard as steel and punched right through one of his ribs. Not only that, the boy was steaming from inner heat and that blood spike was boiling hot. It was excruciating pain he hadn't felt in years. If that wasn't the worst, it wasn't healing back right away like most of the wounds would. His body wasn't cooperating with him. Another three blows and he felt like he would legitimately die from a lone teenager, but he pushed off, laughing to himself at the sight of the four holes literally punched into his chest. That bastard…

"Captain Smoker!" Tashigi yelled as she charged at the assailant. Who or whatever he was, he wasn't getting away with this. She was admiring the swords and arguing with some lone swordsman not too long before, but after she got distracted arguing with the shopkeeper just giving away such a valuable sword she failed to notice the rushing civilians. After the argument with him, she heard the talk of pirates in the square and rushed as quickly as she could. Only one pirate was left there, and he had just wounded her captain. The infantry had crawled away best the could to avoid him, whoever he was. It didn't matter, he was a pirate and assaulted her superior officer!

"Tashigi no!" Smoker yelled, inadvertently spitting blood back at the boy, not that he wouldn't anyway should he die here. But Tashigi was committing suicide with that attack! He didn't even yell out his attacks and the boy dodged them without looking. She yelled out before she even got there. If he didn't dodge it, he could simply shift his blood like when he attacked his marines and avoid it. This was bad.

Luffy looked to the left, the sound where the yell originated, and smiled. A half-smile that promised she was going to have a bad time. The sword went harmlessly through one side of his body and out the other. He clotted it in place and examined her. She helplessly pulled the handle, trying to remove the sword from him. Luffy stuck out a steaming hand and grabbed her by the throat, heating it up immensely from skin to skin contact.

"Luffy! Stop playing around, we need to go now!" Bellemere yelled, reemerging from her spot now that every one was handled with. She was a decent enough fighter, but that entire unit and their logia captain? Not a chance. Luffy may have been cruel, but he hadn't killed any of those honest marines yet and she wouldn't let him start with her.

Luffy looked up and started walking. Survival instincts dictated most of the fighting, so now he could follow the order of the voice he knew until he cooled off, which would be soon. The fighting brain he had let him focus on keeping the Captain's blood locked in place. He also drug the woman with him, keeping her mostly subdued through the pressure and heat. She still had one hand on the handle of her sword, however, not willing to concede.

"Straw. Hat." Smoker growled angrily as he left his sights. His injuries kept him knelt down, fighting to breathe. He had never been injured this heavily before. It never lasted this long. Something about that boy did this. If he couldn't turn to smoke soon, he'd die. Pirates would have successfully broken through his town. His most trusted subordinate, Tashigi, would be a trophy to that devil of a boy. "You. Are. Dead."

* * *

Okay, wow. Two full pages of reviews for Chapter 8. This is what I'm talking about! Sad to say not all of them will be responded to here, but that's how it goes sometimes.

Wacko12- Woah there! No need to go stretching out everything now, huh? Bellemere nearly fainted with Luffy's normal endowments!

Sean1613- Yeah, some grammar errors slip by from time to time, but overall I don't think it's entirely story breaking. Luffy was a virgin and I'm not going to go into explicit detail about any acts. No unnecessary profanity either. This story isn't intended to focus on the sex, so it won't.

Flux Casey- Chi- Blood. Mugiwara- Straw Hat. Kintama- Golden Balls (Slang for testicles.) That's most all of the Japanese words/terms I will be using. Sorry if it annoyed you, but they've been used in canon and I believe they fit here as well.

Lightningblade49- Without going into too much detail, yes. Different blood will affect him differently. Also, did Luffy ever doubt he would be Pirate King in canon? I don't believe I've made him think he's an immortal god, but he knows he can die. Hell, if he takes a bath he'll drown, that's reality checking right there. Luffy knows he has the power of the former Pirate King, but he knows he's got to find the One Piece first, then further surpass him beyond that. (Though he's 20 damn years behind in the World's Greatest Scavenger Hunt, but you know, he's a shoe in.)

Crofty666- He could learn some more advanced stuff yes, but mainly he'd be able to stop internal bleeding and things like that. As for the "No having children thing" it's something that, in my mind, can't be fixed. But besides that, why would he want to change that? Bellemere has two daughters already, plus you know what that means? No condoms. But seriously, Luffy wouldn't even think about it unless she asked him, and I don't think she's hurting for kids.

H.K.- Damn you! Luffy does not need another mother-daughter love duo! Okay, that was not angry. It was the playful, how dare you make me think perverse thoughts type deal. I'm not giving any specifics about that as a result, but I will say I like the idea.

Justafan- Dude, let me start off by saying one thing. Use . , and ? But anyway, that aside, lot to address here. It was not a matter of age. It was more hinted at either a birth defect or an injury. Infinite stamina and making a girl more sensitive, could that beat a dick that can stretch to any size? He doesn't need super sperm! Why would it be super?! What kind of mad world do we live in where his ejaculat can impregnate the impregnable! He also wasn't altering the genetic make-up of a fishman. Fishman and Human share blood types, and can even give transfusions. Oh, Conis? Maybe, not sure yet. I don't think I'll live along enough to carry this thing through all of one piece… Fifteen damn years and I'm pretty sure Oda's not slowing down.

DoomScar- Umm… No. Just, no. This is on a few levels, but I'll stick with the main two. Sanji will divert all his energy into finding a way to stomp Luffy to death if he adds a super beautiful mermaid princess to his harem. Second, she's an ancient weapon. If he brings her along, I could alter every arc post-Fishman Island to "And they sent Sea Kings at it." and move on. The plot progression is more important than finding out if mermaids can have sex with humans!

The Eternal Winter- Glad you liked it. Yes, other fights could have gotten more detail, but if it falls in line with canon I will probably just give short little things throughout. That's one thing this Luffy definitely has in common with canon Luffy. He's a lucky bastard with a gift from the Sea Devil that could get him almost any woman he wants. As for the progress, maybe I just have less of a life than you? There! Now you shouldn't feel so bad. Though now I've made myself sad….

Jamestheghost19- Woah there! Calm down! Not only to that review, but also to your reaction after reading and seeing he doesn't get her right now. That was really a dick move on my part, seeing as that hookup would happen post-story anyway. I don't plan on writing any incestuous three or four ways for this story either. It's not even that I'm apposed to writing it, I just don't want to write it for this story. It's not geared towards it and would hurt the focus. Request a writer give you your incestuous four-way.

Sorry for the ones I didn't cover, but 10 review responses is my cap for one chapter. Though I will say this to cover some without giving one on one responses. The harem stays, luffy can solidify and control all blood, this ability is devastating. I took a very different route than initially planned with the whole "Gear Second" thing, but I think it's good. The lightning still affected him, but in a new and surprising way. Obviously it wasn't going to kill him (lame way to end the story, right?) but could it make him more powerful? The influx of electricity would have altered the rhythm of his heart. In fact, it kicked it into high gear. Physically he can handle it. If a vessel pops, it fixes itself and even hardens to prevent it again. His brain however needs extra protection. Rather than doing constant repair to the important bits, his limbic system, responsible for empathy as well as parts of the frontal lobe which determines his personality, they get temporarily shut down to support survival. This leaves him in a more primal state, while maintaining some of his intelligent. Now, before anyone argues that this makes no sense, please remember this is a fanfiction. I'm keeping this in the realm of plausability, but making it exact is impossible. It will not be a common battle tactic used on everyone, and will not even come up again for quite a while (Take a guess) so it's more of a teaser for what's to come. Also, sorry if it makes Smoker seem like a weakling. If Luffy wasn't forced in this state, it would be a rather fair fight compared to others. Smoker just doesn't have the experience say, Crocodile, has. He'll be coming back again, no worries.


	10. Crocus Saves the Day

Hello, everyone! Sorry to say that this chapter has no exceptionally amazing fight scenes. No aerial battle between a Blood Beast Luffy and a Flying Smoker. I do hope it has enough substance to hold together, though. I know some people have been complaining about the origin of Luffy's fruit, particularly with the previous user. But if you're reading this, you have kept reading past that so thank you. This story is getting a bit more plot-heavy than originally intended, so I hope you enjoy it. More fights are coming soon, I promise.

* * *

Luffy let out a low growl at the marines he passed. He didn't know why, but they were frozen in their positions, staring at him as he passed. He had no mind to go out of his way to attack them. He was told to follow, not to attack. As long as they only shot him stares and not bullets, they would be spared.

Unbeknownst to Luffy, they weren't frozen out of something like courtesy. It wasn't a standoff of 'Who makes the first move?' It was crippling fear that gripped at their throats tighter than his hand around the Petty Officer's throat. Upon reading the bounty posting for the up and coming rookie, most of the marines assumed an information error was involved. How could the goofy looking teenager be a pirate, let alone a cruel murderer? Well, those misconceptions were squashed at the sight of the beast. He was easily taller than any of them, broader than their captain, dripping what looked to be boiling blood only to reabsorb it back, and most importantly, he had Tashigi in his grasps. If a single thing on that poster was true about him, provoking him would likely be the death of her. Besides, if the sword protruding from his side was any indicator on what it would actually take to kill him, they'd need a buster call. An entire sword run through him and he was walking upright with it in. What kind of monsters were pirates becoming these days?

Bellemere quickly made it to the ship, getting everyone geared to leave. They'd have time to question what the hell happened once it was over. Now, everyone needed to be prepared. Nami was awoken from her blackout, whether she wanted to be or not. Gin and Sanji were slapped out of their shock after seeing Luffy's transformation and sadistic method of subduing the marines. Whoever the new woman was, she was surprisingly helpful. Usopp certainly took her threats to heart and actually stood ready to attack what could be assumed as every marine on the island. With Zoro out of commission for heavy work for at least another day, and Kaya physically incapable of fighting from lack of skill, they were only waiting on one last thing. The captain.

Smoker felt the blood start to flow again and with it, the return of his power. His lungs, ironically enough, were healed by the smoke shift. Wounds filled in by the smoke were healed quickly, though not instantly. A fact that he noted mentally. Other stabs would simply be replaced in an instant and that was that. Now his blood felt thicker around the holes. He could have his power as long as he lives, it was still odd to feel every part of his body, even internal organs. But that was for another time. He had to stop that damn freak before he left with Tashigi. The storm overhead kept him from launching in the air, so he ran towards the dock. It hadn't been that long. He couldn't be too late.

Luffy rounded the corner and made it to the final stretch of the docks. The writhing in his hand had stopped for whatever reason, but he could still feel a throbbing. He felt some cold wind blow from a row of houses, as well as an unknown voice. "Look how far you've come. Do you remember me?" The stranger asked from the alley, stepping out of the shadows and removing his hood. He had watched over Luffy in case he needed saving, but he didn't know the power he had hidden. He showed no fear as the monster cocked his head and stared at him. "Of course not… You're going to go far. Keep fighting, Luffy." The man said before backing away, holding back the sadness. Luffy didn't even recognize him, and probably wouldn't even in a normal state. Luffy heard another yell from his close-by friends and continued his walk, ignoring anything else the stranger may say.

Everyone stared in shock as, whatever was once Luffy, jumped on board. His eyes were completely red and even dripped in blood. His mouth was now dangling open, revealing a jagged maw of blood capped teeth. His fingers were overly long and resembled claws. But besides him, they had another problem. He had brought a captive along with him. Gin recognized her right away, Smoker's Subordinate and a swordsman. A dangerous captive to have should she get free. Sanji didn't much care who she was. She was a woman in distress, though an enemy, he couldn't allow her to be hurt. "Dammit Luffy! How dare you hurt-" Sanji was mid kick when his leg was stopped by Bellemere and Gin, who wanted anything but to piss off this kid. He looked back and gritted his teeth. Luffy deserved a swift kick to the head for hurting a woman.

Gin backed away, leaving someone Sanji wouldn't crack the skull of to handle it. Bellemere pulled Sanji away, much to his protest, from the unconscious marine and the monster who choked her out. "Now is not the time to be a bleeding heart for womankind. He's only going to hurt people who attack him, and right now, he'd shred you to bits or boil you alive." Bellemere said calmly, eying Luffy. They would have to treat him like a dangerous animal until whatever the hell was going on with him passed. "Take her to the kitchen and chain her to the table. Now."

With everything in order, they were ready to sail. The storm was getting more and more fierce. The rain was coming down sideways from the strong winds. Smoker was in a dead sprint to make it there. If they started sailing in these conditions, she'd be gone. "Straw Hat!" He yelled angrily as he soared past his men at breakneck speeds. He'd jump on board, kill that damn beast, subdue his crew, rescue his subordinate, and be done with it. Justice would prevail. Or at least, it would in a perfect world. The pirates were already out to sea, and there wasn't a marine ship in sight after the boy came marching through. None of them were willing to fight him, but of course, they could use the "Not risking the life of a captive" excuse when the time came. Smoker was red with rage. He could see their ship. It hadn't even left the horizon. But it was still too far. In this weather, he'd be thrown in any direction but towards them. He clenched his fists as a lone marine ran up to him with the Den Den Mushi. "Sir Captain Smoker Sir. We relayed headquarters. Would you like to give them the report, they could set up an ambush as soon as-"

"Get that out of my sight and prep the ship. I'm going after that pirate." Smoker said coldly as he stared at the ship. Wherever that pirate went, he'd follow. "I'll follow you to the bowels of hell just to choke the life out of you for all eternity! STRAW HAT!"

* * *

There it is guys! Reverse Mountain!" Nami yelled as she stared up at the massive beauty. It was a perfect start to what was known about the Grand Line. It didn't work like logic would dictate. "We're going to ride the current up, then back down the other side," Nami said with a big smile on her face. This was actually something she wanted to try ever since Bellemere talked about how non-marine people got into the Grand Line. It would really test a crew to sail up a mountain.

Everyone bickered either about how the mountain existed or how they would ever get up it in the first place, but it quickly became a secondary worry. Luffy let out a devastating yell before falling on the deck. His body jerked around rapidly without reason. His fingers dug into the deck as he kept screaming bloody murder. The quick rush by Gin and Usopp to pin him down ended with each getting a slashed arm. The new woman sighed and walked over before holding him down, watching the slashes slide harmlessly off of her skin. Everyone was left panicking at the loss of a captain and three crew members now unable to do any work keeping them within the boundaries of mountain walls. It was a madhouse of screaming orders and warnings, that went from bad to worse. They had to ride the mountain down. All while their captain writhed in pain for seemingly no reason.

"Keep us off the sides!" Nami yelled as the able-bodied people pulled the rudder, using every ounce of upper body strength to keep them from grinding against a mountain. Gin and Usopp acted as the eyes and did not have good news to report. "There's something blocking our way! It's huge!"

"What?! Can we avoid it?!" Nami asked, horrified with how wrong things were going so quickly. They'd be out of options otherwise. Rocks on both sides, no way of going back, and some giant rock waiting for them. Did the Marines blockade it?!

"I don't know! It's… Going to eat us!" The news chilled everyone's spine. It was so big they couldn't avoid it, and it was waiting to eat them! "Wake up Luffy! Fight this thing!" Most of the crew yelled at the writhing captain, trying to coax him out of his unconsciousness.

* * *

For a brief moment amidst the panic, there was silence. Deafening silence. Everyone was frozen with fear as they entered the mouth of the beast. They all looked around in awe of the sight. They were sailing in on spit, over a tongue bigger than their ship. It was terrifying, to say the least. After the scariest log-flume ride short of taking a trip in some weirdo's chocolate factory, they were back outside. Wait a second…

"Are...are we back out?" Usopp asked as he looked up at the sky. Trying to work out just how this would happen.

"That would make us a big pile of-"

"Shit! Some help here!" Alvida yelled as Luffy started to turn into blood and reform at different spots. It was hard enough to hold him down with smooth palms, but this was impossible.

"What happened to him?" Nami asked with fear, out of the loop on why her boyfriend was now a monster who was slashing at the air.

"He was struck by lightning! Do you have a doctor?!" Alvida was still left as the only one capable of holding him down without being injured. Not exactly how she pictured being on top of the boy and pinning him under her, and a few more people watching than she expected as well.

"I-I'm the closest we have. But this isn't how a human would react to lightning! He should be unconscious with a hole blown out of his leg! What the hell is happening to him?" Kaya was beyond scared of the situation. Her friend was in pain and she had no idea how to help.

Luffy roared as he slipped from Alvida's grasp, charging past her in a semi-solid state. He launched in the direction of Kaya, freezing almost everyone in fear as a rush of bloody formed teeth and claws charged at the only defenseless person aboard the ship.

"Kaya!" Usopp yelled as he threw himself in front of his girlfriend, prepared to take whatever evisceration he'd have to endure from his insane captain.

"Luffy!" Everyone else finally yelled as he closed in. He had officially snapped, no coming back. He was deliberately going after the weakest person. What had they all been thinking, following him? The question was answered as he leaped over the couple and towards the giant squid that just emerged from the...water? That wasn't even water. Where the hell were they?!

With a loud thud, the captain slammed into the animal, pushing it away from the ship and opening it up for his own assault. Gnashing, tearing, slicing. Luffy tore into the flesh of the squid with ease with his primal attacks. The animal ceased to be mere seconds after, but Luffy kept tearing away. Feasting on the flesh and drawn blood of his kill like a hungry wolf.

* * *

"What does a man have to do for peace and quiet these days?" A lone old man asked as he stood from his chair on his lawn. He set the paper down and looked at the sight before him. A ship with a lamb on it, a squid with a boy on it, beneath the skies that were inside a whale. Damn Thursday afternoons. "Hey! You kids! What are you doing in here?!" The question was a tad more important than introducing himself, as that boy was showing some familiar behaviors.

"We're on a sight-seeing expedition. What the hell do you think you old geezer?! We were eaten by a whale and our captain has gone insane!" The response almost seemed rehearsed it was so well synchronized, but then again they were all on the same wavelength of sarcasm and a serious situation.

"Well if you're going to be rude..." The old man was genuinely shocked by the immense rudeness of the whipper snappers… Man, he was getting old. With a little grumbling, he walked into his tiny house and started prepping a trap. Typically tying up and injecting the patient with a sedative was the proper course of action, but it seemed unlikely. One raw and still bloody fish stuffed with tranquilizers later he was outside taunting the monster tearing apart a large squid like it was a bull. "Come get it! Fresh kill!" This was a sickening tactic. Raw flesh was no healthy diet for any human, which was why he would go right for it. A quick leap off the old prey and at the new and Crocus could see the monster up close. Definitely that old fruit. With it, the same old tactics of sedation and treatment. Undoubtedly an untreatable issue as well.

Luffy had almost completely forgotten the squid in place of the entirely blood-soaked large fish. All about the new kill, no matter the reward from the previous. A few large gnashing bites in and he had dramatically slowed. This was bad fish. A bad kill. He let out a few defiant yells before collapsing on the man-made island.

"The King is Dead, Long Live the King," Crocus muttered to himself as he watched the monster shift back to a normal human boy. So young, easily a mere teen. How long had it been since he saw this very thing happen to Roger? Ten? Twenty years? He picked the boy up and waved for the ship. "Your captain needs immediate medical care!" He didn't ask for a thing before walking inside the little house on his island. It contained all the things he had been using on Laboon, which would have to serve. He had no idea how long the boy was like that, and it could prove fatal already.

* * *

The crew anchored the boat on the island and ran to the house. They had many questions about where, how, and why of it all. But the what of their captain's fate was the prominent concern. If he died, they'd be lost in many ways. As many as could squeeze into the room to watch the old man work. Sprawled across a dining room table, their captain lied motionless. His chest did not rise nor fall. The old man however hardly noticed as he scrambled for some vials and a normal sized syringe. It didn't take long for the seeming disregard to earn the agitation of the crew. The most agitated were the three women he could call his girlfriends, even if one was new and tried to kill him in the past. "What the hell are you waiting for! He's not breathing! Save him or I swear I'll-"

"He won't die from lack of oxygen. I may not know much about him, but he's not like us. Now please, I need to focus." He hadn't worked on a human being for many years, and this particular problem for even longer. If he was correct, the boy would need a shot to restore normal blood flow. Undoubtedly his heart was still pumping like a roaring steam engine under that motionless chest. It wasn't healthy for any period of time, human or whatever the hell he could be called. "This may not be pleasant to watch, so if you have a weak stomach, leave." He warned before readying the treatment. Slowing the heart was simple enough. After that… It would take some restraints.

* * *

The room cleared of all but a handful of people. Alvida, Bellemere, Gin, and Zoro. The rest returned the ship for various reasons. But at least now they could check on the captive. Kaya, Nami, Sanji, and Usopp went to the kitchen with the chained marine, who had apparently been awake long enough to squirm her way towards the door in an attempt to escape. Nami and Sanji dragged her back to a corner and everyone surrounded her, trying to access the situation.

"What the hell was that thing that attacked Captain Smoker?! Where is it?! What kind of monsters do you pirates keep as pets?!" Tashigi yelled out at the pirates, showing no fear in what could be the face of death. Torture or death couldn't be worse than failing her superior officer as heavily as she did.

While everyone else scratched their head, trying to find a delicate way to explain it, Sanji took out a cigarette and enjoyed the moment. No way would Luffy be getting this beautiful woman. Not when she couldn't discern that he was human. "That was our Captain." He said, kneeling down to her. "But you don't need to worry about him, my feisty beauty, I shall protect you." Sanji couldn't help but pull out the charm on her. His odds were like a snowball in a volcano, but that's all he needed.

Nami immediately responded by hitting him upside the head. He couldn't tell their hostage that she would be protected by them, what if she tried to kill one of them?! Besides, it was just a blatant lie. "Luffy could rip you to shreds easier than Arlong! Don't go filling her head with that crap!" Nami took a deep breath and refocused on the blue haired marine. This wasn't going well so far. "Look, what's your name?"

"I am Tashigi. Chief Petty Officer under-"

"Yeah yeah yeah. Doesn't matter. Do you think they'd pay a ransom for you?" Nami could feel the opportunity for money to be made. Even with a hundred million beli in funds, they could always use more. Despite the sighs and facepalms of everyone else, she didn't take her beli sign eyes off the cash cow.

"Doubtfully… Captain Smoker would never let you get away with it. He'd capture you all in the name of justice." Tashigi didn't really know this would be a good opportunity to lie and have them set up a trade. But she didn't want to give them an opportunity. Besides, she had complete faith in Smoker to defeat these pirates.

"Ugh… Great. No money, you'd try to kill us if we let you go, and Luffy doesn't need another girlfriend." Nami said almost to herself in annoyance. This day was going just great.

Tashigi knew she was in the most danger she had been in since she joined the marines. Captive, at the mercy of these barbaric brutes. But bonding with your captors was necessary to not be executed for nothing. "What do mean, another girlfriend?" The prospect was one she had feared since she woke up. She'd kill him personally if he tried anything. If she could.

"Oh. Well, he has me, my mother, and that new Alvida woman." Nami said, sending a shard of pain directly into Sanji's heart. She saw the fear in the young marine's eyes and quickly realized how bad it must have sounded. "Oh no no no no! Don't worry! He's not a bad guy! A bit pushy and hard headed yeah but, he asked us and we accepted. None of that I promise."

"He's dating you and your mother?" Was the only thing Tashigi could ask after that. Three different girlfriends? Men, especially pirate men, are pigs after all. But dating a girl and her mother? That's a new low.

"Yeah… I'm not the biggest fan of it. But that's really beside the point right n-"

"But isn't it weird? He's dating your mom..." Tashigi cut her off, still wrapping her head around it.

"It's weird but let's change the subject. I'm Nami, Sanji the pervert, Usopp, Kaya." Nami decided getting her acquainted with the crew would be the best option. They weren't going to just kill her. Hell, they may get her to join them. She wouldn't typically believe it, but her mother was a former marine, Zoro was a bounty hunter, Gin was a rival pirate, Alvida from what she could tell was a captain herself. Something about Luffy broke down the typical barriers.

Tashigi merely groaned out. The slight bond over the weird situation wasn't enough to make her fine and dandy with the situation, but it was that or be left here again. "Nice to meet you all I suppose… Thank you for not killing or beating me."

"Well you haven't met all of us, and we're not going to do that. If you just sit still and let us finish our business here, we can all have a nice meal. Sanji may be a pervert, but he's also a great cook."

"That's right! I can cook anything you like my beautiful blue rose!" Sanji seemingly leaped from his spot to be in front of the woman, gearing back up for the love.

Tashigi couldn't hold back the giggle. His attempts were so damn dramatic, she had to wonder if it was all a facade. He wouldn't be the first man to be overly flirtatious as a coverup. "I suppose I can wait. I have no idea where we are anyway, so I see no point in hoping to swim away in chains."

"Good. We don't even know where we could drop you-"

The door opened and Nami stared stunned at the rushing people. Luffy was brought in, still unconscious but his chest was moving. He wasn't doing the cryptic breathing the old man had talked about, which may have been a good sign. They laid him on the kitchen table and awaited the next order. "We need to get him out of this whale. I can only imagine how he'd hurt my poor Laboon if he was inside of him when he woke up." The old man said as he left with Bellemere to get the ship moving. She was the most experienced and he knew a way out that wouldn't leave them as a pile of crap. There was a swap as Sanji, Kaya, and Usopp left to help while Zoro, Gin, and Alvida got to meet the new addition to their quaint little ship.

The tension in the air was so heavy two people were choking on it. Those of blue and green hair to be exact. Tashigi shifted from calm and collected to a squirming mass of anger trying to escape her bindings. She couldn't believe it, he was a pirate! The only honorable swordsman she'd seen since signing up! "You're a pirate and a liar! Give me your swords!"

'What the hell Luffy?! That was the marine you had to capture?!' Zoro's mind yelled as he stared at the captive. She was the one person she wanted to escape from. Or at least, she reminded him enough of her that he wanted to be rid of her. What the hell did he get into? "There's not a chance in hell you're getting my swords!"

"You don't deserve them! You're a pirate and pirates-"

Cold steel. That was the feeling on the back of her head. Gin had stepped wordlessly and drew the sawed-off, pressing it to her skull. His old, cold self had resurfaced at the defiance of a captive marine. She had no right to determine what they deserved. She was also in no place to, being their hostage. "Do you want to finish that sentence, or do you want to continue breathing?"

Faster than Gin originally drew his weapon, Zoro had countered off pure instinct. He had Wado at Gin's throat, ready to slice him open. "Put it away. Now." Zoro said coldly, not offering any ultimatums or alternatives. He'd point that gun away from her.

Gin shot a death stare at Zoro. If this were Krieg's ship he'd… He wasn't on his ship anymore. Gin slowly moved the gun and stuck it back in the holster affixed to his pant's leg. "Don't lose your edge, swordsman. It'll get you killed." Gin said before leaving the room. He wasn't hungry enough for a fight to stay in the room with him.

Tashigi pulled back and kept quiet. That was definitely an unusual display for a pirate. The swordsman had acted unusually before, but nearly killing a crew member over her? Even amongst pirates, that was an unforgivable law to break. The one code all true pirates would have.

"What did the old man say?" Nami asked Alvida, who wasn't trying to tear the throat out of anyone, yet.

"He gave him some shot to regulate his heart rate. But he said the next thing would be messy, and realized doing it inside the whale would be...bad? Something about starting a fire inside a tinder pile. But we get to leave this whale and Luffy gets to wake up, and answer a lot of questions."

"You got that right.," Nami said as she put her hand on his chest to make sure. His heart was beating normally, so what else would they have to do to wake him up? He'd been separated into tiny pieces before after all. Why wouldn't he wake up?

* * *

Luffy rubbed his head as he climbed up off the floor. "Owww. Dammit! That hurt!" He yelled upwards at the void above him, blaming it directly for his injury. Luffy shifted his focus from yelling at nothing to looking at his surroundings, and he was rather surprised. The last thing he remembered was… A squid? Why did he remember a squid? Oh well, it was secondary to the fact that he was now in a weird building. "Hello?! Anybody there?!" Luffy yelled as he started to walk, looking and feeling for any sign of his friends.

Silence. The deathly silence of a place that didn't exist to provide life to anyone or anything. Though it did look like it had at one point. Beautiful albeit colorful tapestry and stained-glass windows. Marble pillars definitely for decorative rather than architectural purposes in rows. Luffy followed the hallway until he reached an archway which led to a terrace. There he saw the first and only living thing since he had arrived, and decided to approach it with care. "Hey! Where the hell am I?!" Care by his loose definition, anyway.

"That's the billion beli question, kid." The man, he found out it was a man by the rough voice. It sounded like he had a sack of rocks in his throat. "Ugh. Haven't talked in so long." He reached for the water on the table beside him to try and wash away what added up to be years of not using his own voice. "I doubt you'll be here long, though. I wasn't my first time."

Luffy huffed but decided to take him up on the offer and sit down. It was oriented to overlook the vast ocean in front of them. At least, it would be an ocean if it was made of water. But water definitely wasn't red, that much he knew. "So what is this place, old man?" Luffy hadn't seen anything but the messy black hair and hand of the man at his side and was now entranced with the red sea before him. But that voice screamed old man.

"Well, I have a few theories. Heaven wouldn't have let me in. Hell wouldn't give me ice-water. So maybe purgatory?" The deep scratchy voice was sounding surprisingly better already. For whatever reason, he was getting it over with remarkable speed.

"Wait so… Did I die?" Luffy didn't know too much about that last one, but heaven and hell were those places you went when you died. He didn't spend a lot of time worrying about stuff like death. When he died, he'd be dead after all. So his focus needed to be on living. But if this was death, he'd need to do some rethinking. This place didn't look too fun.

"Nope." The man said plainly, sipping his water. "Probably just got knocked out or something similar. Otherwise, I'd see what killed you. Pretty hard to get rid of those scars." The man touched his chest and neck out of view from Luffy. It took a lot more for him to die than most others, so he had quite a few of those death scars.

"Oh. So I'm going to be fine? That's good." Luffy slumped back in his seat and smile. He knew the man was telling the truth, despite the fact that he couldn't feel any blood-flow. He could just feel it. "So who are you anyway? My conscious or something?" Luffy could have sworn they were supposed to be crickets, but that could just be a story.

The man set the water down and stood slowly from his chair. The large red jacket he wore caught Luffy's eye, as well as the captain's cap atop his head. Just when he expected a big reveal, the man bent over and grabbed his stomach in laughter. "Oh, that's the first laugh I've had in years! Thanks for that!" He straightened back up and turned to Luffy. "You really don't want me as your conscious. I'm a bad influence." He made a coy smile as Luffy saw the face of the man.

Unused gears in the back of Luffy's head began to turn as the man's face crept in. No one expected to see it again. Luffy had never seen it in person, but Shanks had kept an old bounty poster. "You're the Pirate King!" Gold Roger. The collector of the world's greatest treasures and the only person to claim the title. A long dead legend that was having a conversation with Luffy.

"The one and only," Roger smiled at the boy's reaction. He hadn't been addressed that in many many years, which sucked because he liked that title. "Though I have a good feeling about you." He didn't know this boy yet, but he hoped to. He would, after all, be the only contact he could have in the lonely place. "What's your name, kid?"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm going to be the next King of the Pirates," Luffy said as he hopped up out of his chair to stand up to the King. It was a rarity that someone would be so bold as to say they would take the title of king to the person's face, but Luffy was far from normal, so it didn't apply.

"Monkey D. Luffy…" Roger smirked at the name. Oh, the treasure he'd trade to see the look on Garp's face to see his son, or more likely grandson based on the boy's age, going after the title of Pirate King. "Well Luffy, you're not going to have an easy time. I hope you're ready for an adventure." This was a rigged statement. Roger was one of the only people, living or dead, to know where he hid his treasure. Would the boy ask where it was or how to get there?

"I'll show you! My friends and I are going to find that treasure and I'm going to be the Pirate King!" Luffy yelled out, pumped with adrenaline from the challenge issued by the King himself.

"Good. I've been waiting for that. If you remember this, tell your Grandfather thank you for me. He'll know why. Goodbye, Monkey D. Luffy." With that, Roger gave Luffy a light push off the edge and watched him fall. It wasn't the only way to wake him up, but it certainly was fun.

"Dammit! Not cool!" Luffy yelled as he started plummeting towards the ground. That was not an okay way of getting him out of here!

* * *

"Okay, everyone. This won't be pleasant, but it should work." Crocus had prepared a large syringe filled with some green solution he was ready to inject into Luffy. It had a plethora of stimulants to wake him up, as well as something much more dangerous. A chemical of his own design that would hopefully slow down, if not prevent, the progression of the disease he may have acquired. Roger had come to too late for anything but treatment, but this boy couldn't have been ripping apart people for long. With a push of the plunger, he injected the unconscious pirate with what would certainly be the most unpleasant shot of his life.

Everyone of strong stomach held their breaths and watched still-faced as the shot took effect. Luffy's skin would dissolve down to muscle, then muscle to bone, then it would form again. It didn't happen everywhere, but when it happened to his face everyone cringed. It was as if he was melting in places, but his body wouldn't let it stay that way.

Luffy's body started to stir once more. His legs kicked lightly at the table and his nails drug across the wood, prying them apart from his fingers for brief moments before reattaching. His mouth was red from the flow of blood out of his throat. Everything about his state screamed that he would die, here and now, not even one island into the Grand Line. Everything except his eyes. They popped open, shocking the room as he sat up on the table, body still twitching and being eroded by some internal force caused by the shot. He pushed off the table and fought to stand on his own two feet.

Crocus stared wide-eyed at the boy. The shot was supposed to take hours before he woke up, and even then he wouldn't be able to walk for at least an entire day. Luffy was in the full throws of it and walking with greater and greater steadiness. What the hell was this kid?

Luffy wordlessly walked past his friends and out the open door. None of them would dare stop him in this state at risk of messing up what, as far as they knew, was what was supposed to happen. Luffy stared at the object of his desire, which turned out to be a living creature.

Laboon had stopped his relentless head bashing to watch Doctor Crocus and the strangers that came out of him. He had swallowed the ship on accident when they were sailing down and was trying to find out what happened to them. Despite his violent tendencies, he didn't have a reason to hurt the strangers. Maybe that one would forgive him?

Crocus walked from the lighthouse to Luffy's side. He was afraid this would happen. It was still better than if it happened inside Laboon, but it was still bad. "This is Laboon. He's an island whale. If you hurt him, I will not hesitate to fight you." Crocus knew a fight with the boy, injured or not, would end in his own death. He was old, the boy was young. The boy's friends would certainly want revenge if he succeeded. It was all bad.

"Scars. Bleeding." Luffy said, staring at the scarred forehead of the whale. He would like nothing more than to get the delicious blood and meat in that whale, but he couldn't.

"He's trying to bash down the Line in search of his friends. He can't win a fight like that, no matter his size." Crocus said, looking at Laboon. It was a tragic tale. Abandoned by his friends who ran away when things got tough. Damn those pirates for putting him through this.

"Fight..." Luffy started walking towards the giant whale that was staring him, clenching his fists. "Fight!" He roared before jumping at the whale, ready to fight it with every ounce of strength he had.

"What?! No, you idiot! You'll die in your condition!" What Crocus meant was that he'd kill him if Luffy hurt Laboon, whether it would mean his friends killed him or not.

Laboon stared in shock as the boy rushed him. He didn't expect this. Sure he swallowed the ship, but it was an accident. When the punches started to connect, he roared out back. They were actually hurting. It was making him angry. He let out a whale before going for a slam. This guy was just a jerk!

"Luffy! Stop! Don't fight the sad whale!" His friends yelled as they ran from the doorway to the old doctor, yelling and waving their arms. They had heard the story and couldn't believe what was happening. Awaking from the dead just to fight the saddest whale ever?!

The fight was more one sided than they wanted to say. Luffy was able to jump around with surprising agility for someone injured, and even if he was hit the damage wouldn't last. With a final giant stomp to the forehead, Luffy soared back to the land. "Tie!" He yelled back to the charging whale, keeping him from crashing into the island the lighthouse sat on.

* * *

Luffy's plan had worked perfectly. Laboon was much calmer after actually fighting someone, and was over the anger he had for Luffy. He spent some time painting on his...custom version of their Jolly Roger. Leaving behind a memento of him and his crew as a promise that they'd fight again. Crocus was happy to see Laboon wouldn't be hurting himself anymore. Also that he may have misjudged the Straw Hatted boy's intelligence. It was an ingenious idea. Despite countless offers to keep the crew overnight for surveillance on Luffy's condition, he was unable to persuade them. They were already behind schedule from the multiple-hour delay. Though this was mainly because immediately after the fight with Laboon, Luffy needed a very large meal that took a good amount of time to cook. Crocus wanted to hold his tongue. To just let the boy go on with his adventure and trust that the shot worked. But he saved Laboon, and if he wouldn't listen he'd tell someone who would make him listen. Three people to be exact. "Ladies. There's something we need to discuss your… Captain." It may be because he was out of touch, but three girlfriends? Where would this boy even get the energy?

Alvida, Bellemere, and Nami pulled away from the group to talk with the doctor. Alvida chimed in first with. "Don't tell me we're going to have to do daily checkups. Oh god, he can still get it up right?" Alvida said, a shocked expression on her face. It was a joke meant to tease the other women, as she was more than happy to show her sexuality now that she actually had some. It was definitely worth the angry stares from her fellow girlfriends.

"Umm… Well, honestly I don't know. That shouldn't have been affected… This is more serious than that, though. Much more. Do you know what fruit he has?" Crocus knew all too well. But he also knew that the knowledge was outlawed. Select few knew what the power was, and who previously had it.

"Yes. The Chi Chi no Mi, and before you ask we know Roger had it. What does that have to do with this, and how do you know?" Bellemere decided they could skip a history lesson. Though how he knew about it would be worth knowing.

"I was Roger's Doctor, for a few years. He had me take care of his...disease. It was my job to keep him healthy as possible." Crocus said, squeezing his fist as he tried to figure out how to say this.

"Well, that's great. Would you like to help us now? Our only doctor is a novice at best." Nami said, blinders on to avoid where this could be going.

"I'm too old. Plus I maintain the lighthouse and look after Laboon… There's something you should know about your captain…" Crocus took a deep breath and looked up at the girls. He hated this part. "Roger had a deathly illness that would have killed him if it weren't for that execution…"

"What are you saying?" Bellemere busted out, breaking his long stretch of silence. "Is Luffy…?"

"Your captain was doomed from the start. I don't know when it will happen, but the disease will take hold. Your captain will die."

* * *

Good amount of reviews, though I would like to see more you guys! (Sorry if it's annoying to ask, but it is seriously how I know what you guys like) I do like questions. So feel free to ask. But do make sure it isn't answered already. This, Blood Beast, is altered Gear Second. Intensified blood flow which causes heightened reflexes, much faster and more ferocious attacks, as well as using boiling blood as a weapon. I did think it would be clearer, but hopefully this will clear up the confusion. Luffy's first time using this wasn't of his own free will, so don't expect it showing up for a while. Now for something important. I know this chapter will bring up a lot of hate, confusion, and all of that unpleasantness. I would ask that negative comments simply be directed to me personally. Just because a story makes a turn you do not particularly like does not mean you should brand the story with a negative spoiler. I can answer any question or respond to any comments messaged to me. If you are using a guest account and would like to voice your disagreement, please do not spoil the story for those who enjoy it. Thank you.

Sneak13579- We'll find out, won't we? I'm not sure if I've hinted at this before or well enough, but Luffy won't be getting every girl. That said, Zoro is on shaky ground with her and she is not a member now or in the near future.

Lightningblade49- Kidnap is such an ugly word. It's accurate, but ugly. In Luffy's defense, he wasn't in his right mind, and he was attacked by the swordswoman first. Yes, Zoro finally has something that Sanji can tease him about instead. But, he has a handgun compared to Zoro's cannon. Luffy's harem is going to grow, that's all I'm saying this time around.

TheWittyWhy- Marine women don't go down after one fight! Though yeah, she's going to be walking with a limp, lol. Sex with the future Pirate King is a young woman's game. Though Alvida will have an easier time.

Scorez, BusterCall123, BBWulf, Zaralann, AzureDragonFlames- Thank you all! I try really hard with these stories after all, so I'm glad you all enjoy them.

The Keeper of Worlds- Well let's see. Stopped a double execution, letting two pirate captain's run free. Attacked and injured almost all of his men. Utterly defeated him in a one on one fight. Kidnapped his subordinate and made a mockery of him and his men. Royally Pissed off is a very polite term. As for the lesson, it can be taught again and again by her, now can't it? Not sure who I'll let Sanji have, but I can say he won't get a harem. With that in mind, a single girl is a long way down the road.

Maxe03- Luffy does use a weapon. A sword. Ji-Ken is a sword made of blood he may use at virtually any time. Though his actual arsenal is infinite. He could make swords, axes, shields, hammers, even guns that propel his blood at faster speeds than just throwing a shard. (This would really be a fancy way of doing it, but theoretically speaking a piston made of blood could be used. It's all he could rather than he would, though.) I more meant how if they were at sea and he wanted a bath, it would be impossible because it would be such a waste of water to take a bath. They have contraceptives and while not technically incest, still taboo and I am not doing it.

\- I don't know if I'm going with a 'She owes her' route, but Bonney could make any girlfriend a teen to a cougar with ease. I may not write about them boning (On this site for sure. Also, skull joke! Yohohoho!), but it's a definitely going to happy to one of them at least once.

Justafan- To my knowledge devil fruits don't alter one's DNA. At very least nothing that would be readily apparent in medicine. Oda himself has been vague on the origins and nature of the fruits. They could be scientific, magical, mythical, what have you. I get that his sperm could be more potent (Will of D and all), but Bellemere's problem was meant to be either a problem with birth or traumatic injury. Alvida most definitely. She was searching for him anyways and now she knows he likes her too. Tashigi I won't be saying. Leaving you all to squirm about whether she'll be a new member of Luffy's Harem or Zoro's one and only is a sick thing I enjoy. I didn't mean to offend with the quality of your writing, I was merely saying it as a type of joke. I appreciate the effort to improve and will be doing so with my story to match. Thank you.

Amethyst- Always leave them wanting more. I'm a really twisted person to do all these cliffhangers that give you just enough to hate me and want to know more. Especially since it could go either way.

Tonlor- Thanks. You'll see about the who's girl in time. Bell is rarely alive and I don't think she's ever been paired with Luffy, so hurray! I didn't actually plan that ahead, lol. It was a last minute thing and I thought. 'Huh. Yeah, that would be cool.' So I believe this shows that I'm a bumbling buffoon who's making it up as I go. Dear Lord, it's as if I'm writing Bleach…

daniel2610994- Seriously op until stuff like this happens. Luffy has eaten a very dangerous fruit for both himself and others. Let's take a moment to realize he's got a mountain to climb (literally in one case) when it comes to what he deals with. Crocodile dries things down to mummies, Enel is made of the thing that nearly killed him, He can be frozen or boiled. Luffy's not invincible. But hey, he's lucky. Maybe he won't die before his time because of hubris? Or, you know, this new mystery illness I've angered more readers with.


	11. A Night in Whiskey Peak

Hello everyone! Wow I got this done a lot faster than expected. Which means you'll be getting it faster too! Hooray for lack of sleep! This one is another mostly talking and action as opposed to out and out fighting, but it's not like he had much competition in the first place. This chapter does have a bit of character development though. (He said knowing he will be keeping most of the character like they are in canon with a few acting slightly differently). But eh, different actions have different effects on people. I actually ended up going in a different direction than initially intended. Just kinda went with the flow once it started, you know? I still believe it turned out well. Though it doesn't quite answer those burning questions I'm evil enough to leave you with. Then of course, how could it? The question was a story shaker after all. Don't worry though, no loose ends and all of that stuff. In due time, in due time. For now, enjoy the adventures at Whiskey Peak!

* * *

The ship sailed away from the lighthouse. Their captain was back to his normal self. The trip to their first official island of the Grand Line would give them some time to think and reflect that they didn't have before.

Kaya was spoiling Usopp in a Sanji fashion. Feeding him grapes as he lounged about. Under normal circumstances, this would be deemed the work of witch craft, a mental breakdown, or opposite day. This, however, was the work of his noble act of throwing himself in front of a blood thirsty monster they called their captain with no thought of the harm that would come to him. He knew it wouldn't last long, so he'd enjoy it while he could.

"Do you need anything else honey? Some water? Are the grapes okay?" Kaya was losing her mind trying to repay Usopp for what he had done. How many people would do that, after all?

"No no. I don't want to be a bother." Usopp was milking it for all it was worth. This probably wouldn't happen again for a long, long time. Maybe it was easier than he thought to be a brave warrior? He was willing to fight and die for Kaya after all. Though he didn't want to see anyone hurt. Luffy really was the greatest thing to happen to him.

* * *

"You like her." The curly browed cook said, smirking at his victory over the mosshead. All the torture he would put him through was finally coming back to bite him in the ass.

"Shut up stupid ero-cook! You don't know what you're talking about!" Zoro yelled in anger back at him. This was unbelievable. Luffy had three women he was dating and it was useless as ammunition right now. Sanji's offense was too good, even if it was a lie!

"Than you wouldn't mind if I gave the gorgeous swordswoman my attention?" Sanji knew he would anyway, but now he'd be focusing his energy on her. She was, after all, the only unattached woman on the ship. Maybe it would finally be his turn to get a woman. Thank the sea Gin told him about that outburst.

"Do what you-" Zoro locked up as the words settled in his mind. The picture of the person he hated most putting the moves on Kuna… No! She wasn't Kuina! She was just a skilled swordswoman who looked exactly like her… Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

* * *

Alvida had decided to talk to one of the crew about the knowledge she had gained back at the lighthouse. The two most loyal were the obvious choice, but the green haired swordsman was in a shouting contest with the cook, so she went with the other one. Gin the Man-Demon. She had heard some stories about his unwavering loyalty to Krieg. It shocked her that he had defected to join Luffy's band of misfits. He really was charming… But Gin was also the only crew member with previous pirating experience. Specifically, being a major part of another crew. So the first step would be finding out just why he was here, what made him loyal to Luffy instead of Krieg, then deciding if she could let him in on the secret.

"Hello Gin, what are we up to today?" Being nice was something she was not used to, but it was something she'd have to if she wanted to stay. She didn't have subordinates on this ship. It was almost sickening to think she was on the same level as everyone else, but at least they all seemed capable in some regard.

"I'm training, as we all should be doing. Would you like to spar?" Gin knew that sparring with his old crew would end with either them being sent to the infirmary or to the bottom of the sea, but this was different. Almost everyone had the strength of an entire ship's worth within them. This strength combined with Alvida's unique power that kept her from being hurt physically by most means left her as an interesting sparring partner.

"No no. I'm afraid I don't have a new mace yet. I would like to talk with you about a few things, if you have the time." Ahh, her mace. She missed it so. A big, spiked mass of iron she could crush people with like a comic who could bust watermelon. As if that would ever be funny. She'd need to get a replacement soon, it was the only thing she could properly fight with.

"About what?" Gin put away his tonfas and focused on the woman. He didn't get a feeling she'd be the talkative type, given her previous history. As small a fish as she was, he'd given her poster and reports a look before. Just in case he ever had to put her down.

"Well, this may be a touchy subject, but. Krieg. What did Luffy do to make you join him instead?" Alvida had been thoroughly pushed out of the loop since her transformation and subsequent capture by the marines. Stupid damn clown…

"He fed me." Gin said, looking past the woman at his captain. He was sitting on the figurehead, carefree. To see him like this would really hide the threat he posed.

"That's it? He fed you? What are you, a stray dog? You butchered villages for Don Krieg and you left because Luffy fed you?!" That was the most ridiculous reason she had ever heard for joining up with pirates, and she kidnapped someone who thought her ship was a fishing boat.

"He fed me after beating an entire ship of marines. He fed me not knowing who I was. When he realized who I was, he took me back to my captain knowing it would make us enemies. That man has done more for me than anyone else, and I will follow him to my death." Gin said, staring at Alvida with anger. That wasn't the first time he'd been called a dog, and it was sickening.

"But, what about Krieg? Wouldn't he be angry losing his right hand to some start up pirate like Luffy? He wasn't one to take losing lightly." Alvida said, holding her ground against the angry pirate. She didn't become a pirate by being easily scared… but the next sentence terrified her.

"Luffy killed the Krieg pirates. All five thousand of the remaining men. Luffy said I wasn't fit to fight after starving for days, so Krieg attacked him. Luffy killed everyone else…" Gin reached for the liquor he had hidden under the false plank and started to drink. He really didn't like thinking about that day.

"Damn… I guess I got lucky… Look, I'm sorry about that, and for insulting you. But, I needed to know your loyalty. I found out something about Luffy and I don't want to talk about it with just anyone..."

"Well spit it out woman. I love a good secret." Gin was, if anything, loyal. Quiet would be the secondary aspect that gave him a bonus in keeping secrets. No one would fetch him to chat, so he didn't have anyone to tell.

Alvida closed the distance and started to whisper, just in case anyone could hear. "Luffy's sick. The doctor said it was only going to get worse…" Alvida looked into her hands to avoid any questioning stare the young man may be giving her. "While I may not be as close to him as the rest of you, I don't want him to die. The guy did save my life and make me his girlfriend after all. The most beautiful of the bunch too." She said with a little smile before wiping away a tear, making sure it didn't fell where he could see it.

Gin's eyes were focused on Luffy, however. He didn't think he could die, let alone that he was going to over some disease. "He's full of crap. Luffy isn't going out to a flu. But on a different note, have you seen those two? No offense but-"

"Shut up, you ass." Alvida said, a small smile forming. The tone of his voice changed entirely to indicate he was teasing her. A good method of cheering her up. "I'm the most beautiful woman on the sea. But yeah, you're right. He's too damned stubborn to let some flu take him out, right? Thanks." Alvida said before getting up and heading towards the kitchen. A healthy snack would keep her spirits lifted. No way was she going back to her old eating habits…

* * *

"Damn! That! Doctor!" Bellemere yelled as she struck the training dummy, stifling the tears that flowed. "He's wrong, right Nami? He's gotta be…" Bell was working out her problem the way she was taught. Hitting things. Hard. Thankfully the training dummies were made for the monster duo, that was quickly becoming the monster cinco with Sanji, Gin, and Alvida. The reports on what she could do with that mace… But nevertheless Bellemere was throwing a lot of anger behind those punches.

"I don't know… He said he worked for Roger. He did know how to save Luffy… What if he was right?" Nami didn't want him to be right, but she was trying to look at this from a more logical point of view than 'He's stupid.' He knew exactly how to treat Luffy's problem. But she was holding onto hope that his problem was different. That it was something with Roger specifically. "He could be wrong but… Mom, what if we lose him?" Nami needed the comfort of her mother for this. Her boyfriend, captain, and savior was just given a death sentence.

But Bellemere wasn't fairing much better. She stopped punching the dummy and hugged her daughter, letting her bury her face in her shoulder. This let her cry without Nami seeing. This would make the third man in her life she lost. The cute blonde marine from her younger years, then her good friend Genzo, now her boyfriend, captain, savior, and weird sort of son-in-law. But hey, the Celestial Dragon bloodline is pretty well destroyed with worse family affairs than this, and they're royalty. What mattered was she didn't want to lose another one.

"What are we going to do? I love him, mom." Nami cried as her grip on her mother tightened. She didn't want to lose the only person besides her mother and sister to ever stand up for her. It was too hard.

"I don't know… I love him too, Nami. We'll get through this..." 'I swear if he dies I'm going to kill him. No way is he leaving us to grieve.'

* * *

Luffy yawned as his legs swung freely over the figurehead. He heard the creeping footsteps of a marine and lazily laid on his back to look at her. "Hey I remember you. I think… You stabbed me."

Tashigi froze. The pirate had almost killed her and her captain not too long ago. Why did he smile when he said she stabbed her? Was he insane? "You attacked my captain. I do not apologize for defending him." Her survival was secondary to her honesty. Besides, the blonde and the swordsman seemed keen on keeping her from being injured, for whatever sick reason. She was given free reign of the ship, albeit unarmed at all times. That Alvida woman sure was unladylike to spit in her hands like that to keep her from grabbing a sword, but it sure was effective. She couldn't hold on to anything.

"Huh? I did? Sorry I guess. I just didn't want you killing those two. I mean, they were jerks and all but still. One of them was cute." Luffy said, smiling at the thought of his new girlfriend. Alvida sure did get pretty since he punched her. Though she was like a giant blueberry before.

'He's certainly… Different from the report. More laid back. Maybe he actually appreciates some comedy?' "I didn't know you liked clowns that much." She said with a small smile, attempting some humor. Making your captors laugh was a good step.

"Shishishi. Good one." Luffy leaped back off the figurehead to get a better look at her. "I'm Luffy. Nice to meet you." He outstretched his hand and smiled, hoping to properly introduce himself to the woman.

"Umm, Tashigi. But I don't think I can shake your hand." Tashigi said, pointing to her glistening palm. Damn slippery spit…

"Huh? Oh. Sorry. Gentleman greeting..." The light in Luffy's brain shone as he realized a way to introduce yourself to a woman. He took her hand by the wrist and gave the top of it a kiss. Maybe those lessons Makino taught Ace weren't completely useless after all. "Nice to meet you, Tashigi!"

'Do I seriously have three pirates competing for me? What kind of gushy romance novel did I get kidnapped into?! Pirates aren't this nice and considerate!' "Nice to meet you too…"

"So umm… What do pirates do with hostages?" Luffy asked, realizing she wasn't a new member for him to befriend. She was a hostage...That he'd try to befriend anyway.

"You don't know…?" 'He defeated Captain Smoker effortlessly but doesn't know what pirates do? Do I actually tell him? Yes.. Yes, this could be a trick.' "Typically ransom or enslave, if not kill…"

"Huh… Nah. That sounds pretty bad. Can't we just, drop you off somewhere?" Luffy asked, wanting to avoid trying to ransom off or killing a marine for no reason. Despite the fact that she'd look great in a gold bikini with a leash, that wasn't right. Unless she wanted to. That'd be so cool!

"I. I suppose. I don't know much about the Grand Line though. I don't know the nearest island with a marine base on it…" Was this really happening? Was she going to be released, just like that? Maybe all pirates weren't so bad… Unless this was a sick joke.

"Well we gotta go to them anyway, why not check for bases and stuff? Just promise not to try and kill any of us and we'll let you off at the first island with a base." That seemed like a good compromise. Having her on board wouldn't be too good if she didn't like it there. But she seemed nice enough.

"Thank you for your generosity, Captain Luffy." Tashigi said, looking down at her feet. This was incredible. He didn't look to be lying. Was this really happening? She found the only half decent pirates in the world.

"Just call me Luffy. You aren't on my crew, so you don't have to call me Captain. Now come on! Lunch Time!" Luffy yelled before running past her. "Sanji! Cook us food!"

"You just had breakfast an hour ago! I'm not cooking you lunch!" Sanji yelled back.

"Tashigi's hungry too!" Luffy cried out, pouting over the possible lack of food.

"Right away, my beautiful marine woman!" Sanji said in the distance as he started to cook. Throwing in some easy to cook meat for Luffy.

'This may not be too bad… No marine called me beautiful… No! They're pirates! Scum! My hand is still tingling though…' Tashigi thought as she started walking to the kitchen, eye locked where her hand was kissed. What was up with these pirates? Didn't they know how to pirate?

After a quick lunch with some awkward stares, Tashigi decided it was time to have a conversation with the swordsman. She had misjudged a few members of the crew with marine doctrine. Most of them were nicer than most of the people she knew in the marines. Though that swordsman had actively saved her life from a member of his own crew. "Excuse me, Zoro?" Tashigi said as she approached the swordsman, who was leaning against the railing of the ship, bandana over his eyes.

"Huh? What do you want?" He asked, not moving the bandana in the slightest. He couldn't risk seeing her face. It was dangerous for his health… His heart was in a different rhythm just from the thought of it.

"I uh, wanted to thank you for earlier. I don't know too many people who would risk their lives for me. For whatever reason, you're one of them… Thank you."

"Don't thank me. I didn't risk my life. I didn't save you." Zoro said, trying to focus on the darkness around him.

"But… You did. He had a gun and you-" Tashigi was cut off as Zoro stood up and stared at her through the bandana. She could feel it.

"I didn't want to see you die. Not a second time. Now drop it." His gut was on fire as he walked away. First curly brow, now her? If only they knew his past. Maybe it was time to tell one of them? Where the hell was Luffy, anyway?

* * *

"Hey guys! Island!" Luffy yelled excitedly as he saw the island in the distance. It wasn't the biggest thing, but he could see some lights. "Is that where we're headed?!"

Nami eyed the Log Pose on her risk. Sure enough, it was pointing right for it. "That's it Luffy! Our first island in the Grand Line!" This was quite the moment for them all. Thankfully that tiny little lighthouse wasn't big enough to qualify, or else that would have been a very bad first island. Hopefully this one could go a little better. Maybe they could rent some rooms for the night while they were at it. Night had fallen.

Some quick sailing later, they had arrived at the island port. Unsurprisingly empty given the time. Luffy was the first off the ship, before they ever actually docked. "I'm going to find some place to eat! They may have something good on this island!" Luffy yelled, running off despite the warnings to be safe and look for an inn.

Alvida sighed as she hopped down with the rest of the girlfriend troop. "Why are we dating him again?" She asked, jokingly, to the other girls.

"Well he's super human, funny, protective, good in be- battle." Bellemere stopped herself when she realized what she was saying and starting walking. "Come on, let's look for a place to drop off our guest." Blowing past that was the smartest option for the moment. They were also the best to look for any sort of marine base since their bounties were lower than the other monsters of crew.

Gin and Sanji had temporarily befriended further over a hatred of the green haired swordsman. Though only one would persist after a good night of drinking. They both went off in search of a place to drink, and hopefully find some women of their own. At least, that was on Sanji's mind.

Usopp and Kaya opted to spend some time on the ship instead. Kaya did, after all, have her own bed.

* * *

Which left Zoro and Tashigi. Despite the fact that they intended on letting her go, she was not allowed to go with the team scouting for a base. Their was nothing stopping her from running in and having them attacked at first sign. Gin had tried to kill her, Sanji had tried to bed her, and Usopp and Kaya would be no match for her should she arm herself. Which meant Zoro got to babysit her. Oh joy…

"So, I know where you got those two. But what about Wado Ichimonji? That sword is magnificent." She had gotten past insulting and threatening him, at least as long as she was going to rely on his protection.

"It belonged to my best friend." Zoro said plainly, searching for the nearest place to sleep for the night to avoid this conversation.

"Was he a pirate too?" Tashigi asked, trying to track down where the sword was before it got into the hands of a pirate like him.

"No. No she wasn't. She didn't get to be anything." Zoro wanted to stop and clip her vocal cords, but that wouldn't last past the turn around. Talking about Kuina and seeing Tashigi's face would make his brain explode...probably.

"Well she could still join the marines. I know you'd probably prefer her pirating, but the marines will still take a swordswoman." Tashigi's limited service and fighting had put her in a neat little bubble about how things worked. The marines were good. Justice prevailed. Bad things wouldn't happen to good people.

Zoro stopped in the middle of the road and looked at his scabbard. Wado's white hilt gleamed in the moonlight. "I don't know what she would have done. Marine? Pirate? Lone Swordsman?" He seemingly asked the sword, awaiting an answer that wouldn't come. "Well that doesn't matter. She died. A long time ago." Zoro looked back up and kept walking, leaving Tashigi frozen with embarrassment and sadness.

* * *

Luffy's search for meat, meat, or meat was postponed at the distance sounds of popping. Firecrackers? Were they having a firework show?! Coolest island yet! He ran in the direction of the explosion noises in the hopes of seeing stuff explode beautifully in the sky. He was half wrong. It was not beautiful or in the sky.

"STOP! They have nothing to do with this!" A blue haired woman yelled from the grasp of a blonde woman with a lemon themed outfit. Tears filled her eyes as she was forced to watch the brutal display.

The dark-skinned man smirked at her yell. "They don't have anything to do with it? They stood in the way of the mission. It's not my fault they won't stay down." The man dug a finger in his nose and mined out a large booger.

In front of him were the charred and/or dismembered bodies of countless people. One with large curly hair laid on his stomach, coughing up blood under the shielding body of a dark-skinned, pink-haired muscle woman. She didn't move from her position, but she cried from her spot. Unable to carry out the injured man, or move at all herself at risk of being the next target. In front of them was a scrawny orange haired man. He was hardly standing, his clothes were badly singed. Parts of his flesh had been badly burned or blown off entirely. Blood flowed freely from his mouth, undoubtedly from damage to his internal organs, but he would not fall down. "I'm sorry, Miss Wednesday. We weren't strong enough." He put a good bit of energy into apologizing, apparently to the blue haired woman being captive.

"Pathetic. Will you just go down already? We really need to kill you all before we can leave, and I'm running out of ammo for this." The man said before flicking the booger, aiming as if it were a pistol. That of which he had tucked away in the holster, should this get boring.

Luffy looked questioningly at the sight. What the hell was a booger going to do besides gross the guy out?

 **BOOM!**

The booger made contact with the man's chest and exploded with a force comparable to a grenade. Despite the overwhelming force, the man was still standing. All of his ribs had been shattered from the concussive force, but the boogers lacked shrapnel. His breathing was slower as he fought the feeling of...drowning, in his own blood. "You. Can't. Make. Me." He coughed out, emptying some blood from his lungs.

"STOP! STOP THIS!" Miss Wednesday yelled, trying to squirm out of the grasp of the woman. "He doesn't deserve this! He shouldn't have to die!"

"You don't get to decide that, princess. Our orders were simple. Kill you if we had to, capture you if we could. Anyone who gets in the ways dies." The man said as he began to mine for more nose gold.

Luffy hopped down and began his charge towards the scene. He went under the cover of blood, acting as a creeping stream of the red substance that slithered unnoticed to the defiant young man. Deciding to go for a good entrance, he slowly formed up out of the pool of blood into his ordinary form, standing beside the injured man. He stared hard at the attacker, stepping in front of the man to his side. "Why are you attacking these guys? They can't fight you! He can barely stand!"

"Who the heck is he? No other agents were supposed to be here." The lemon woman asked, annoyed by the sudden appearance of the strange man.

"Does it matter? Another interference." The man launched the booger at his new target, intent on showing him what it meant to interfere with an officer agent.

"I already know that trick." Luffy said with a smile as he brought up the blood surrounding him. "Chi Chi Wall!" With a quick harden, he and those behind him were safe from the explosive power of boogers. Something he undoubtedly never expected to need to defend against.

The smoke died and Mr.5 got to see a blast stained red wall that was not there when he first launched that booger. "What the-" He had to stop as the wall started to shoot back! Shards of the wall launched at him like some kind of rocket propelled porcupine. He was able to dodge them all, though he was winded from the sudden and unexpected exercise. Being a bomb man meant being able to skip all the leg days you wanted. "Who the hell is this kid?!" He yelled in annoyance, trying to catch his breath.

"I'm Luffy. Monkey D. Luffy." The boy responded as the wall slipped away into a pool of blood. He turned away from the man to look back at the injured one. "Hey. Who are you guys anyway?"

"Agents. Baroque Works. Please. Save my friend." The man coughed up, slipping down to a knee as his injuries started to overwhelm him.

"Okay." Luffy said plainly, walking past him towards the two people behind him.

"No! Not my girlfriend. I. I can protect her." Mr.9 forced himself back to his feet, prepared to take another hundred explosions if need be.

Luffy stopped and started to stare angrily at everything around him. First at the woman shielding the man on the ground, then at the man who just spoke, then farther at the man who could turn a flu into an explosive machine gun. "He attacked your girlfriend?!" His eyes coated in blood as he stared down the bastard who dare tried. He slowly walked back towards him, lifting up all the nearby blood in a terrifying reverse rain.

"Monkey D. Luffy..." The lemon girl let go of the target at the mention of the name. The reports had gotten around fast. He was a potential recruit for his skills. Or more specifically, his ruthless efficiency at slaughtering pirates. "W-we can't handle him Mr.5. We need some backup." Despite her faith in Mr.5's abilities, they didn't know exactly what this one could do. Coupled with the fact that he just blocked one of his explosions meant they would need help taking him down.

"Now are you trying to back out of the mission? He's just… a… kid." Mr.5's confidence had drained from his body as he looked back at the boy. He didn't look a kid. He didn't even look human!

Luffy had spent most of his hate energy on himself. This guy dared to attack weird guy's girlfriend! Ripping him apart was too easy. Besides, this was his chance to actually try human blood. He shifted his body to a new shape. Ridiculously tall at ten feet, thin to match the man he attacked. He elongated his arms for better reach, and shifted his fingers to razor sharp claws. His face was featureless aside from red eyes and a jagged mouth. To top it off the blood around him took on the appearance of sharp tendrils, moving behind him like snakes.

Mr.5 fell backwards in fear, kicking his was back as he scrambled to draw his pistol. He did not want to get close enough to do a full-body explosion. He popped out the cylinder and loaded it with his breath, desperately trying to defend himself. He quickly aimed the gun and fired every one of the extremely hollow rounds. "Go back to hell you monster!" He yelled just before the shots simultaneously exploded, ripping apart the monster. He took a deep breath and laid on his back, staring at the sky.

Miss Valentine sighed in relief as well. She did not want to have to fight with that thing. Or try to run away from it. Luckily the princess was just as scared and hadn't had the chance to run off. She grabbed her once again, just in time to freeze in terror with her.

Luffy wanted to laugh. It was always funny when someone underestimated his extreme durability. Or was it more that he wouldn't let himself die? Was there a difference? Those thoughts took up hardly any time however, as he had important business to deal with. He reformed back at the foot of the man and smiled. A big toothy smile that sent chills into the hearts of anyone who saw. With his elongated arm he snatched the man by the throat and hoisted him in the air. His claw fingers wrapped tightly around his throat, but didn't cut into it. That would be far too easy. Instead they pressed against his veins and started to cut off blood flow. Making his brain hungry for oxygen.

Mr.5 gurgled nonsense as stared into the face, or whatever you could call it, of the monster. Its eyes stared back mercilessly into his own, of which he could feel the blood vessels start to explode inside. Just as he started to use his full-body bomb, he was slung backwards into a wall. Just as his skull bounced off the stone four living spikes chased after him, piercing each of his four limbs and burying them in the wall. He coughed and looked up, vision blurred from damage done. "What. What do you want?" He knew he was defeated. He didn't have the strength to attack. To defend himself. To do anything.

Luffy walked towards the man, slowly. A large trail of blood was left from each step. The two girls and the man got to see his slit of a mouth open to reveal the jagged maw within. Luffy ran his tongue over each of the teeth and smiled. "Blood!" He yelled, ready to dig in to his meal.

"Luffy!" The conjoined yell of three women rang out throughout the area, making most people look.

The deformed monster that was about to dig into his meal, however, froze solid. Their voices acted as an iron wall keeping him from moving one step closer. He slowly shortened his arms, legs, and torso. With a quick reshaping he was back to normal. Though he had a look of fear on his face. "Uh...Hey girls!"

"What the hell is this?! We left you alone for five minutes and you butcher the place?! What's wrong with you?!" The three women made a perfect team for yelling at him. They were all the expressive violent type.

"Wha?! No! I didn't do it! He did!" Luffy turned the beaten and bloody man before him. He didn't make the best patsy, but he really was the one who did it! "I swear! Ask the… Oh no." Luffy saw the man from before kneeling down, upper body hanging limply. He rushed to him and started to check. His insides weren't… insides. They were like a paste. He had taken more damage than he should have ever been able to. "Get Kaya! We need a doctor!" Luffy didn't know what good it would be. Kaya barely knew how to fix broken bones. This was… Internal devastation.

"Is he going to be alright?" The woman said as she walked up, crying softly. Her little man had taken every last blast aimed at her. "You can't die. You can't die." She said, kneeling beside him and squeezing his arm lightly.

Mr.9, he had accepted that his old name died long ago, looked back up as best as he could. His vision was starting to close in. This would be the perfect time to use his catch phrase, 'Bye Bye, Baby' if it weren't for the fact that his internal organs were blended and he was the one going bye bye. "I'm sorry. But something tells me that's not an option, baby."

"Don't say that. It's not that bad..." Miss Monday said, trying to convince herself. "You can pull through. You're tough."

Luffy watched through a tipped down hat. He hated stuff like this. He didn't stand a chance of survival. Even if he could stop the man's bleeding, so what? His organs were all but liquified inside of him. The worst part was he could feel a child developing inside the woman. A child who wouldn't know his or her father.

Miss Wednesday and Miss Valentine were still frozen in place. Miss Wednesday was mortified at what she had caused. Mr.9 was a good man. A loyal friend. This was her fault. They killed him because of her…

'Oh fuck oh fuck. Not good not good at all.' Miss Valentine's brain was suspended in sludge. She was as good as dead with that boy angry. Hopefully he'd have some mercy…

Mercy was the last thing on Luffy's mind. He walked heavily towards the man he had all but killed. "You did this!" Luffy roared, bringing the man flying towards him.

All the pain Mr.5 had felt was immediately amplified. He was being dragged from a stone wall by his blood. It was as if the entire front of his body would be peeled off by the force being exerted from inside his body. His body was stopped in front of the boy and left kneeling, all he could sustain at the moment. "I was. Just. Following orders."

Luffy was not swayed by the excuse. Following orders was a pathetic way of moving the blame onto those above you. He grabbed him by the throat and got ready to rip him apart when he felt an unfamiliar hand on his shoulder. He looked to see the pink haired muscle lady. She looked at him, then at the officer agent, then back at him. Luffy could tell exactly what she wanted, and stepped back.

"You were following orders." She said, looking down at his eyes. The glasses beyond destroyed. "Is that how you justify it?!" She and her friends had killed people before. But that was survival. The island was in a constant state of economic struggle. Everyone was starving all the time. So they'd rob some gold or turn in a bounty. But this. This wasn't to survive. She reared back her fist and struck the man's face, digging shards of his glasses into his face before he fell on his back. She hopped on top of him, straddling his chest, and continued to punch wildly at his face. Blow after powerful blow doing damage to an already structurally unsound skull. "You killed him you bastard! You killed him!" In actuality, he was clinging by a thread. But everyone there knew it wasn't far off. The flurry of punches finally did their job. The man's foot began to twitch, his chest heaved up and down erratically, then all movement stopped entirely. The woman on top of him panted, heavily, before standing up. Her fist were dripping with fresh blood. She stepped away, knees weak. She slumped against the nearest building and buried her face in her arms, sobbing at he impending loss.

Nami returned with Kaya, unaware of the goings on since she ran back at the first yell for her. She led her to the nearly dad man, where she knelt to try and get basic vitals. They were… the medical word for it didn't have enough impact, so she used awful. "Luffy. What happened to him?" Kaya asked, hoping his power could help.

"He was a human shield..." Luffy said, kneeling beside her as he looked at his face. His consciousness was ignored by everyone at this point. He was too weak to speak. "Is there anything we can do?" Luffy asked, a sliver of hope in his voice.

Kaya closed her eyes, pointed her head down, and shook her head. She didn't have anywhere near what it would take to save him. Which would be a fresh new set of identical organs and many years of advanced training. "Mercy is the only option left..."

Luffy gritted his teeth, staring into the eyes of the man. Hoping to see something that would give him what he needed. He didn't get what he hoped. The man looked up and down, the closest thing he could do to nod. "You guys go. Please. I don't want you to see this..." Killing someone completely innocent just to stop their pain. It would be the least morally questionable killing he had committed. But it wasn't one he'd be proud of. Nami helped Kaya up and walked with her to Bell and Alvida. Miss Monday grabbed the still frozen Valentine and dragged her to those girls. She picked up Igaram and walked alongside Miss Wednesday, who she now knew as Vivi. Everyone cleared out and Luffy took deep breaths. He had never killed anyone who didn't deserve it. Would he have to keep doing this? Killing someone because he didn't know how to save them? He drew in some blood and formed an exceptionally long and sharp sword. This was how the marines would do it. Chop off the head and they'd die instantly. Quick and painless. Luffy looked down at him, trying to show give some comfort. "I'm sorry I didn't get to know you. You seem like a cool guy. I. I bet you'd've made a good dad..."

* * *

Miss Valentine cowered behind the four women who were escorting her sea devil knew where. With the pissed off pink haired woman nearby, it was her safest option. Whatever that monster could or would do would be better than what she would do. She had all the reason to make every last moment of her life hell. At least with the strangers they'd only torture for fun. In some sick and twisted way, it was better than vengeance torture. She'd just have to hope she could slave away in the kitchen or something until she could escape or be killed. A long shot away from her dream of making chocolate.

Miss Monday was kept far away from the other agent. Though she was not directly responsible for 9's death, she was just as guilty for her part. Showing up to eliminate everyone was not something she'd be forgetting. At least Vivi could calm her. The surprisingly little hatred she showed was almost inspiring. Almost.

Vivi was externally cool, but inside she was having a mental breakdown. Her cover was blown. A hit was placed on her head by the leader of a company of assassins and mercenaries who was trying to overthrow her country. She had gotten one of her best friends killed over her secret. Igaram was hurt. It was not looking good for her. Her only hope now was in these strangers. A monster human and what appeared to be his harem. Not exactly Fairy Tale heroes.

* * *

Zoro and Tashigi. The blind was being led by the...well worse than blind when it came to navigation. They must have easily circled the same block three times before he even noticed, which means tashigi pointed it out three times before he listened. But they finally saw some signs of people that weren't dark buildings. Though it wasn't the sign either expected. Zoro walked with one hand on Wado as he passed by the dead bodies. Some were blown apart, others were embedded in the ground. Certainly the bloodiest road either had walked on… Until they found Luffy. The entire courtyard like area was drenched in blood. Each step bloodied their shoes. Tashigi instinctively reached for a sword that wasn't there due to her status as captive. Zoro, however, took his hand away from the hilt and took a less defensive stance. After all, if Luffy wanted him dead for any reason, the sword would just annoy him. "What the hell did you do Luffy? Did they insult your hat?" It was a bad joke to ease the tension in the air. Just in case he did snap over a hat insult.

Luffy didn't move from his position. He stood over a particular dead body in the middle of the area, hat over his heart as he held his head down.

"Is everything okay? What happened?" Zoro asked, walking to his captain slowly, carefully. He didn't want to flip some switch that may have caused this in the first place. He may not go after him, but he may go after Ku- Tashigi. Tashigi.

"No. He killed them. Now let me finish this." Luffy said, giving a quick point to the man directly in front of the one he was standing over, never moving his head. Whatever he was doing, he was mumbling.

Zoro walked over towards the man Luffy identified as the killer. Tashigi approached the strange pirate captain that had fascinated her. If she didn't know any better she'd say he was… "Are you praying?" She asked him, trying to answer some deeper questions of her own.

"Yep." He responded simply before going back to mouthing his prayer.

"I didn't figure pirates prayed for anything other than their own lives or treasure…. Who do you pray to?" It was a small detail overall. Different people from different islands had different beliefs. But at least it would give her a feeling for his belief structure.

"No one. Everyone. Who ever will listen." Luffy said, starting to wrap up his short prayer. Most of what he learned was a futile attempt by Makino to teach him to say grace before his meals. But eventually he picked up you could do it for other reasons. Something about talking to god. He didn't know if he was real, or if he was listening, but it was what the man deserved after giving his life so selflessly.

"Jeez Luffy. Did you have to crush the guys face? You know you can make someone's heart explode or something." Zoro said as he looked over the man. He wasn't typically shocked with death, no matter how brutal. But this guy didn't have a face anymore. Just a smear on the ground.

"I didn't do it," Luffy said before he formed a blood shovel. It was pretty crude, but he really didn't want to go search for a shovel and come back to a buzzard picked corpse. It was disgraceful. He silently began to dig into the ground right by the man.

Tashigi looked at the dead man now that the pirate answered her questions. He had some missing and charred flesh. Exposed bone. A collapsed ribcage. Some tremendous damage. But what didn't fit was the fact that he had been decapitated, but the head was kept extremely close to the body. "What happened to him?"

"He protected his friends." A depressing response if there ever was one. Luffy kept digging the grave wordlessly, using muscle and determination rather than autonomous blood shovels.

"Than he died without regret," Zoro added, trying to bring some life back to the dreary situation. "Give me one of those things. We can get this done together."

Luffy formed another one from the blood around him, solidified it, and dropped it in Zoro's hands. He wouldn't turn down the help. Not if he saw the nobility of the deed as well.

Tashigi watched in utter confusion. These men weren't pirates. They couldn't be. Digging graves for people they hardly knew? What was their angle? "Are you guys really going to dig him a grave? For protecting his friends?"

The two wordlessly kept digging the grave. The question didn't need an answer. Luffy wasn't going to let him dry out in the sun and be picked at by the birds after all he did trying to protect his friends and girlfriend. It wouldn't be right. Zoro didn't quite know the circumstances, but it wouldn't stop him. He had done so good that Luffy was pausing everything to give him a decent burial. That was good enough for him.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?! Why would you be pirates if you're such good people?! Pirates are the worst people on the planet! They just steal and kill and torment the innocent!" Tashigi had finally snapped. The protection. The kindness. The forgiveness. The honor. This isn't what she had been taught for so long.

"You've been hanging around bad pirates and good marines. If that was flipped for too long, you'd know where we stand." Zoro stopped digging for just a moment to answer her question. His early life was spent off the heads/tails coin that was the Marines and Pirates. He met the good and bad of both sides, and that was just in East Blue. There were Marines who would steal from the people they had to protect, and Pirates who would protect the people they supposedly terrorized. Luffy was one of the good pirates.

Tashigi zipped her lip after the response. Not too long ago, she'd have questioned the very meaning of that remark. Not so much for the corruption of the marines, which would be inevitable. But that would only be because pirates planted them there. But good pirates? It was an oxymoron. But now. If this wasn't the most confusing con in the history of piracy, it was a case of good pirates.

With the combined efforts of the two, the grave was dug in no time. Luffy took responsibility and put the man in himself. The two then proceeded to cover up the appropriately sized grave, which was much faster than digging it in the first place. Once they were done Luffy transformed the two shovels back to blood and started walking back towards the group of women in the distance.

"So, captain. Tell me, why did you kill that guy?" Zoro had seen enough of Luffy's fighting to tell when it was him who did it. If it was a strong deliberate slash, it would be a clean cut all the way through. The decapitation matched perfectly. That combined with the stark different deaths of the other men pointed to Luffy.

Luffy didn't respond at first. He just walked, silently, staring ahead like a zombie. After almost a minute of silence, he responded. "He didn't deserve to suffer."

* * *

Woah! Hard stuff right? Hard-ish at least. Mr.9 and Miss Monday were always and underrated pairing to me. Especially since it's canon. So I decided to at least trying to make you care, by breaking your hearts! That is if your heart isn't already a scarred mass of muscle tissue from reading all of those tragedy stories. You know who you are. Yes yes this isn't that big of a loss, considering they get no real character development or major screen time. Hell, Buggy had his own little adventure and his character doesn't grow till Impel Down. But some people can connect with any and all characters put in the right light. That being said, sadness. A strong theme in this story, isn't it? I mean, Luffy's a super powered blood man, but sometimes you just can't stop something a power hungry writer has decided will happen. But before I get any complaints about how he could have saved his life. He couldn't. A single blast would have ruptured internal organs. Repeated blasts would have liquified them. He didn't have anything left to fix. Plus, Luffy is no doctor. Now I know the next complaint may be over just how he survived. I could go on a little tangent about the human spirit and the will to live, but let's face it, it's plot armor. If you can turn will into an actual weapon, and as we've seen many times in canon, pull yourself from the brink of death with it, you can surely live a few extra minutes through it. Sorry for that. Wow, just really loading up these Author's Note's, huh?

Lightningblad49- Kind of what I was going with there. No specifics on what the disease is or how it works (Since I am after all a fan of the amazing Oda ((Who owns One Piece instead of me, btw)) ) but you can associate it with the constant unique strain placed on Luffy from it. I'm open to hearing any theories you guys come up with on the matter.

Sean1613- Guess what? You got another break! But yeah, following up on the slaughter that was previous arcs, these will be breathers in comparison. They also definitely know Luffy is dangerous, at least sometimes. If he's normal the worst he'll do is hit you, eat your food, or manipulate your blood a little (Zoro will definitely be getting more random boners over it, I assure you) But if the Blood Beast were to be let out again, they'd be on high guard.

Johnny Spectre/Sneak13579- All fruits have at least the one big downside. Others are unique to the fruit themselves. This one just so happens to be… Very bad.

Flux Casey- But I mean, some pretty sweet hate sex before they call it quits, right? But seriously, I see your point. The pairing is typically over the fact that she reminds him of Kuna. If that pairing is how I decide to go, (Because I can never really make up my mind,) that will not be the bases. Sure, right now he's protecting her. But that's a bit different than love. He's trying to avoid the pain of seeing Kuna die again. That aside however, he could pair well with her. She's a terrific and respectable swordswoman. Definitely attractive. Plus, when amongst the more laid back life of pirating, who knows what her inner personality will be like? I haven't put all my chips into the ZoTa pairing though. Luffy may like her just because, you know, pretty. But it could also be because of her sense of morality. Choosing Chaotic Good of being a good pirate over Lawful Evil of a corrupt World Government. Her eagerness to protect her friends and fight for her belief and dream of taking famous named swords out of the hands of evil doers. Plus, come on. Two marines in a pirate's harem? Suck on that other pirates!

EmiyaXander- That's right, you caught me. Here's a cookie! Crap… out of cookies. Well, you get a new chapter. That should be good enough, right? New contest than! Spot the pop culture references hidden throughout this story so far! I may actually make that a little contest in which the winner gets a One Shot. But don't hold me to that. My only One Shot is sitting at ridiculously low views. But hey, you'd get bragging rights! While this chapter didn't feature a gear, it did feature a special nightmare inspired form for you! Who says writers are disconnected from fans. Did Luffy have a good reason to go all blood based Slenderman knock off? Nah. He just really really wanted to make that guy's life hell before he killed him. Messing with their heads is almost more fun. Plus given Mr.9's scrawny appearance, you could call him Scrawnyman, in dedication to his sacrifice. But it doesn't hold up as well. Honestly don't know how well this kind of stuff is holding up. I'd like some feedback from you guys on this mini-forms Luffy takes from time to time. They aren't really gears. Nothing particularly changes about his fighting. He just sees it as a twisted game of scare the hell out of your enemy.

BusterCall123- Well… How? I've been giving this some thought for the past few days and I don't really know how I would go about that. I mean, she's the Empress of an Island in the Calm Belt. How do I bring her to the story logically? How will I alter it so she falls madly in love with Luffy rather than him lusting after her? (I have thought of something for that if she shows up the same place in canon, don't worry.) I'm open to ideas, but on my own I don't see where it would fit, so I don't see myself doing it. If anyone wants to give me an idea for this, send me it through PM. I'll give you credit when and if I pick it, but I don't want it spoiled for everyone else if I choose it.

StonedGrizzlyBear- Well you sir have the greatest name pertaining to an animal doing drugs that I've ever seen! Like. Damn. That thing would be cool. Till it gets the munchies… But anyway, thank you so very much. I will try to keep it up! (Like Luffy in the bedroom. Yohoho!)

The Keeper of Worlds- The details of the illness will be revealed in time. Hopefully before Luffy find the One Piece in canon! (I can almost guarantee that won't happen in my lifetime, and I'm younger than Oda!) Saved, once again, isn't quite the right word. Gin would have only shot if provoked further, and even she wouldn't have done that. He reacted out of instinct to protect her, and doesn't want it seen as more than that. Also, eh. Gotta throw him a little something. Being Smoker's main subordinate put her in a position where she wasn't often wooed, as it were. Probably just cat calls from very stupid men. I also get that I treat Sanji unfairly in this story. In all honesty, it's not because I hate him. I honestly believe if he got say, Nami, in canon, he'd be faithful to her. After all, he'd never hurt a woman. But in this, for now, he's getting the short end of the stick. Tashigi's going to one of them after all. Even if Zoro gets her, he's still competing with Gin and Luffy for girls. Yeah, Bonney is an interesting character for this kind of story. Though her actual use will be limited. Can't have every chapter include either MILF versions of the younger women and Teen-Early 20's versions of the older gals. Luffy would have to give up his quest to fully appreciate the ability. Though that being said, once he is Pirate King, he could basically be it forever, couldn't he? Bonney could just keep them all perpetually young forever by reversing the clock. Obviously I don't know the canon restrictions to this, but it does make Law's ability to make you immortal pretty weak in comparison, huh? (Note. Not his fruit, just that aspect of it. Do not cut out my heart Law fangirls and fanboys)

The God Fist- Did I ever say it was Purgatory? I don't believe so. The whole Heaven and Hell thing was more him poking fun at Luffy. In a sense it's Purgatory, but I actually have it to be a different place for the story. Luffy will also be going there again. Not necessarily soon, but he will go again. Once again, writing Bellemere in the story was actually a fluke on my part. I realized I didn't have anything different planned out for Arlong Park aside from her being an ally, so I scrambled to create something new. Turned out pretty well I'd say. Like a five star meal you cooked on accident when you realized you had company coming over. I swear though, not everything is like that. I have an idea of what I want to do with the story from beginning to whenever I end it (No time soon, I promise.) But sometimes you do little changes with big effects.

Justafan- And in the grey she is once more. Though I believe it's now obvious she's conflicted between the two mystery pirates. Once more with this, what makes you say Roger is in his Devil Fruit? How would one devour their devil? Questions and questions to answer before you can ever ask. As I've said, this is a place in mind I have. Could be Purgatory, the Devil Fruit, a step out of their own Reality. That's kind of the fun here. Though all will be explained in time. Though as for talking about it, he may. With the people he trusts most. That being said, do you think they'll ever tell him? The burden of knowing that kind of information? Heavy stuff. I mean, technically you could have any story with "He's going to Die" at least at some point. What if he slipped and fell into the water? Shitty stuff right there. But eh, I honestly don't regret ending it with that. The last Pirate King didn't fair so well either after all. But come on, do you think I'm so cruel and heartless that I'd just kill him off? The answer is I am. But I don't feel like it…. Yet! But seriously, so what if he's going to die? It's the fate of man. Even if he becomes Pirate King, it would just be a matter of time beyond where the words end but the story continues. No one lives forever. (Even with Law's ability and Bonney's little work around, you aren't invincible.) So yeah. One day possibly in the future, he'll die. But it's Luffy we're talking about. He wouldn't let the sickness take him out. Roger wouldn't either, after all.

NeoZero13- Probably. Maybe. Most Likely. But not necessarily how you'd think. After all we don't know what it is, what it does, how to control it, or anything of that nature. We only know that it will be affecting Luffy. One look at Whitebeard (Whitemustache) tells us that you don't have to be in tip top shape to be so Bad-Ass you're deemed a threat to the entire world. We just have to wait and see what it does…

Guest- Pissed some more off, didn't I?… Damn. Well oh well! Lost a good bit over that Lemon after all. (Almost a thousand views less the following chapter. Then a thousand less from 9 to 10, though I hope that's more an issue of time posted and all, since man that would be upsetting.) But as long as I have some loyal readers who like what I write, I'm happy. Though god now that I think about it that drop does kinda hurt the old pride. I'm giving it my best! Some stories aren't always PG! Ugh. Damn you Lemons! But yeah, battles between non-superhumans will be a lot more one sided. If they don't manage to extremely piss him off, however, it'll be much more fair. He's sitting on a lot of potential after all. If it was virtually anyone besides Luffy, they'd walk around causing aneurysms till they got what they wanted. He's just one odd ball who decided he'd use it to beat and scare the hell out of people instead. So he's really a lot less of a threat than he could be. I mean, POP!, your brain exploded. Next. He has the emergency brake on this power.


	12. The Relief of Sake at Whiskey Peak

This. Chapter. Was. Agony. I swear these longer filler ones will be the death of me. Well, not literally. That'll probably be heart disease or something. Or the resulting nuclear war following the election of Trump. But yeah, I'm so sorry this one took so long for no real fight or anything. I've just been under a good deal of stress from various sources and have lost a good bit of time for writing. As well as the fact that my regular schooling will be starting up soon (Why?!) So I'm sorry to say but a few weeks will be the new wait time for chapters. Unless I go on a major writing binge one weekend or something. But yeah, here's the newest chapter. The next one will be of much higher quality, as I write fights (or slaughter's in most cases with Luffy) with more passion.

* * *

"Ahh! Keep her away from me!" Miss Valentine yelled as she ran from the enraged woman. She was apparently in no mood to hear her apologies. Or any of her excuses about following orders.

"Dammit! Let! Me! Go!" Alvida and Bellemere had a good enough grip on the woman to keep her from tearing the girl limb from limb. Nami and Kaya tried to act as barriers between them, while the new girl was trying to calm the raging woman.

"Please Miss Monday. No one else needs to suffer. You've gotten your revenge. This is just mindless aggression. Please do not focus it on someone who did harm you." Vivi knew who was really to blame for this all. It certainly wasn't this poor girl. As cruel as she may be, it was the man who actually killed Mr.9. The person who ordered it would undoubtedly be Mr.0.

"But she did harm me! She killed my-"

Miss Monday stopped all her fighting when she saw the boy approaching. The one that saved her, and at least allowed her some vengeance. Luffy walked dead-eyed towards the women, causing all of them to freeze. Except the blonde stranger, who still cowered behind the teenagers. Typically everything was a game, but that woman was violent, and that boy was just a monster. Luffy walked past her and to Miss Monday. "I gave him a burial if you'd like to say your goodbyes. I put that crown of his on it cause I didn't have the headstone."

Monday glanced over at the woman, then back at the boy. "Thank you. I. I think I'll go do that. You can decide what to do with her..." She hissed as she left to pay her respects. She needed to see the grave for herself.

"W-what are you going to do with-" The blood rushed to the woman's head and she passed out, falling with a hard thud to the ground face first.

"What the hell, Luffy? Now we have to carry her." Alvida complained, knowing she'd be picked for the job just because of her superhuman strength. The price we must pay…

Luffy groaned and rubbed his forehead. He honestly didn't even think about doing that. He just really didn't want to hear that babbling. She'd just ask, cry, beg. Then finally give in when she realized the alternative would be for that other lady to beat her to death. It just seemed pointless. "Just bring her back to the ship. And don't let that lady kill her." Luffy said, walking away from them all so he could just get some sleep. If his conscious would let him.

Alvida sighed and followed the order, throwing the unconscious woman over her shoulder and following her captain, slowly. She'd never live it down if she got knocked out so easily as well. At least, in front of her crew...mates.

* * *

Poor Tashigi was a nervous wreck inside. She never thought she'd see a pirate who had trouble killing. It was a part of the lifestyle. He obviously knew it. But they all, or at least most of them, had some sort of code. The green haired swordsman wouldn't let her be killed, at least if she didn't do anything to deserve it. The captain of the crew was so heavily shaken from what could be called a mercy killing. How many pirates were good that she labeled bad? Was it so crazy to seek freedom?

"Are you sure you're alright?" Kaya asked the man with extremely luxurious hair. He didn't suffer nearly as many injuries as the man from earlier, but he must have taken at least one powerful blast to the stomach.

"I'm sure. Don't worry about me. But please, we need your aid further. For we are not the only ones in danger." The man was leaning on Zoro for support, groaning between sentences as he tried to catch his breath. "Please. Help Vivi. She is a princess of a kingdom at war with itself. She's the only one who can end it. Please. You all seem like such good people."

The band of people stopped. Conflicted on what to say. Would they mooch money off a dying kingdom? Well, Nami would try. But after what happened, that was arguably not going to go over well with Luffy. He may not be a hero, but he's certainly a good person. "We'll ask our captain. He makes the final decision." Neither Nami or Bellemere felt right speaking for him. His decisions were too erratic. Plus, he may demand her hand in marriage as payment, or something like that, which neither would like to sign her up for without her knowing him.

"He seems like a nice person, Igaram. I'm sure he'll help us." Vivi assured her friend at the sight of his pained expression. His job on this mission was to assure her safety, and as a latch ditch effort, he was relying on pirates. She had to assure him that she'd be fine with them, which she was confident in after the selfless display their captain performed.

* * *

Back at a bar Gin and Sanji found and respectfully kicked the barred entrance of down, the two were getting drunk and sharing pleasant conversation.

"No, I could kick your ass! That's the whole point!" Sanji yelled, red-faced at the pirate across from him. His third bottle of strong sake was sloshing out from his exaggerated hand gestures.

"You got the kicking stuff, sure. But come on, I'm just stronger than you. Plus, I'm actually armed." Gin said, drunk laughing at his own little joke. Being ARMed against someone who fights with their legs was a pun most well appreciated by a drunk, or possibly skeletons. But the hostility definitely wasn't as real as it could have been between other pirates. Neither was about to waste a good buzz on a fight. That, and they had something better to be angry over.

"Hey, let's just save our strength in case we ever have to pry Luffy off one of our girls, huh?" Sanji said, growing angry at the premise. He was more loyal to his captain than he outwardly expressed. He fought from the heart for what he believed in and would give his life for any one of them. But dammit, he was getting all the beautiful women of the sea! What, would he need world government pardons in a women's correctional facility to get laid?!

Gin laughed, putting down his drink of, something alcoholic, to laugh at the joke. "Yeah, it would take both of us. Maybe everyone else too. But you're playing with fire too. That marine woman is trouble." Gin had a stronger hate of the marines than most of the crew. Being toyed with for their amusement, having them watch him starve. It was what made animals turn on their masters. Not that he'd ever called a marine master.

"Hey, that beautiful woman could cause hurricanes and I wouldn't run. I'm not scared of whatever trouble she could bring." Sanji said proudly, confident in his willingness to fight for a woman's love.

"Even the swordsman?" Gin said, smirking like a hyena. Taking their monster captain out of the equation, Zoro was next up for Sanji to worry about. Strength primarily, but now he was also the competition with that blue haired swordswoman.

Sanji locked up, eye twitching at the mere mention of him. "Well he was trouble before she was brought on, so I won't even give him the honor of being brought about because of her."

"Whatever you say… But what if Luffy wants her?" Gin asked, less inclined to joke about it over the increased likelihood. There was a good chance he'd ask her to join.

Sanji stared at his bottle like he was deciding if he should drink for the first time. "Well I can't just fight him for her, as much as I'd like to beat some sense into him. Besides, he hasn't shown any real interest yet… I swear if he's with her now, though, I will kick his ass so hard his grandfather can feel it."

* * *

Luffy groaned as the light started to shine on his face. The sun really sucked sometimes. Deciding that he'd be sticking with the typical four hours of sleep instead of the deluxe eight hours, Luffy took his spot on the figurehead. Staring off at the sea would help calm his mind, at least for a little while. The patter of heels clicked. The odd thing was, he didn't recognize the blood flow…

"So you're him, are you?" A calming female voice spoke from behind him, taking up a seat on the railing. Surprisingly relaxed demeanor for what could be considered an invasion on his ship. "The infamous captain Luffy?"

"Huh? Yeah. That's me. Mass murderer and threat to countless lives." Luffy sighed, quoting his own bounty report. It seemed best to just repeat it, it's all he felt like after all.

"Aren't you a melancholy one? I would figure someone who smiled for their bounty photo would be a lot...peppier?" The woman said, judging his demeanor off of one photo. All the information she had to go on, since her shadowing plan was interrupted by the presence of Krieg's fleet. But still, it was typically a good sign for a pirate's personality.

"Well you caught me at a bad time… What are you, a bounty hunter or something?" Luffy didn't figure a marine would come alone. Or take what seemed to be a living creature to get there. Or not bring any marines…

"Oh no, not at all. I'm actually an archaeologist. I merely thought I'd meet the man causing up such a storm in the East Blue. Not necessarily difficult, but still interesting." Heaven forbid the boy turned out to be a bore. So far that seemed to be it exactly.

"So you're a fan? Never signed an autograph before…" Luffy smiled lightly, trying to let himself be cheered up by the concept that he already had a fan so early on. It seemed rather crazy since he hadn't done anything memorable yet.

"Fufufu. Something like that… I saw what you did back there. Is that what's upsetting you? Taking that man's life?" She didn't catch all of what happened. Just the mercy killing of Mr.9. Though from what she could tell, Mr.5 and Miss Valentine had put him in that state. Mr.5 also didn't come out of it alive.

Luffy spun around on his spot to face the mystery woman. He didn't remember her being there… Though then again he had been focusing on the...task, at hand. "Yeah… Do, you think he could have been saved?" Luffy asked, his conscious ripping itself apart. If he could have been saved, Luffy killed him for nothing. If he couldn't, there wasn't anything to do to save a dying man.

"I think that question doesn't matter anymore. He is dead, after all." The woman said, doing little to help the poor boy at the moment. "But you did what any kind person would. He did seem to be suffering. Sometimes we make some difficult decisions, and must see them through." The woman stood from the railing and stared down the boy. "My question is, why step in at all?"

"Huh? Well if I didn't, his friends would have died, and his girlfriend." Luffy said, pushing past the sadness into a sort of anger. Riled up with the same feelings he had when he first stepped in to protect them.

"If that's the case, I recommend getting over it. Otherwise, you won't be able to save anyone, including those friends of yours." The woman walked over towards the starboard side and stared out towards the land of the island. "Speaking of, what of his friends? The ones you so selflessly saved."

"Oh… I don't know. I guess I'll see if they want to join me or need any more help. They did just lose their friend after all." Luffy said, the rage draining away and being replaced with concern. Thankfully he wasn't emotionally locked anymore.

"Really? But you hardly know them. How strange… For a bloodthirsty monster, you're certainly the helpful type." The woman joked lightly, trying to lighten the mood. She wanted to see what he was like when he wasn't flip-flopping emotions.

"Always question what you read. It could just be made up so people would be scared of me." Luffy said with a smile as he looked at the woman, trying to figure out why she was here now that his moral dilemma was at least suppressed with the fact that he couldn't change it now anyway.

"So you aren't some sort of tremendously powerful monster bent on conquering the world?" The woman asked with a slightly more serious tone to her voice than the last joke.

"Not the world. Just the seas. I'm going to be King of the Pirates." Luffy said with his trademark cheek stretching smile. Thankfully his normal set of pearly whites were on display instead of the pointed fangs he sometimes bore.

"Aiming high, are we? I suppose that's what dreams were for… I do wish you luck, you will have quite a lot of challenges to face. I'd like to offer a-" Before the woman could offer her gift of an eternal pose, something he would undoubtedly need if he wanted to continue his journey in any sense of the word "quickly", the boy had burst with an offer of his own.

"Hey, you seem smart! Wanna join my crew?!" Luffy exploded with a roar of happiness and excitement. This woman, while not exactly showing a particular skill that would warrant a spot on his ship (Archaeologist didn't really count, he wanted a musician!), had managed to fully entrance Luffy in her wisdom and mystery. Combined with her soft-spoken demeanor and be seemingly fearless in front of what she herself described as a bloodthirsty monster (despite the fact that her heart was beating more than normal, she was at least appearing calm), left Luffy in a position where he just had to ask.

"You would like me, a woman you know nothing about, to join your crew?" If it weren't for his innocent demeanor, it would be almost insulting. As if she should be honored for the privilege of joining him. Maybe it was just something from other pirate captain's she had to deal with in the past. Though she didn't feel like breaking this boy's neck.

"Well… Yeah. So what do you say?" Luffy cocked his head and awaited an answer. Thankfully he was at least patient enough to await an answer. Something he had to actively practice, however, to maintain.

The woman decided to humor the boy at least a little. "Well, what incentive do I have to join you?" It was a valid question for a woman in her position. Every crew she had been in or partnership she formed was for some form of protection, and right now he was fighting an uphill battle with who she was counting on for protection now.

"Well, what do you want?" Luffy didn't have much experience trying to negotiate for real. It was typically just nagging Ace about trading tiger and bear meat, of which he'd end up draining of blood either way.

"What any woman wants I suppose. A good book, some nice coffee, to watch my enemies suffer." 'Surely that will jar the poor into forgetting about this little-'

"I think we have some books! Kaya brought some! We definitely have coffee!" Luffy responded to the first two so proudly. As if he knew all along he'd need these things for some weird scavenger hunt recruitment. Though she couldn't ignore one missing ingredient.

"What do you have in the 'Making my enemies suffer' department?" The fact that he left it out had to mean it was something he couldn't provide. Apparent if he had a problem with mercy killing a man.

Luffy smiled. He knew she'd ask about that. He stuck out his hand and started morphing the blood into various instruments of pain. Clubs, Swords, Knives, Maces, even a Whip. "Shishishi. Just point to them and watch!" Luffy didn't mind making someone suffer, as long as they deserved it. He thought the weird booger guy got off lightly for what he did after all. He deserved to suffer.

The woman was frozen in place, heart pounding against her chest like a jackhammer. That was not what she expected. "You. You're a logia?" It was the only explanation for such free manipulation of his own body. Her partner liked to toy with people in similar ways.

"I'm a Blood Man," Luffy said, shifting to a puddle and back before the woman's eyes. "What's wrong? I thought this was pretty good..." Luffy could feel her blood pumping twice as fast as it should be. It was making it kind of hard to focus. "But what do you say, wanna join?"

"I… I think I just might-" She was interrupted by a loud shriek, which both of them turned to locate. Under normal circumstances, she'd have remained calm. But upon discovering this new information, her blood was running cold.

* * *

Moments earlier, the small group was returning to the ship at a much slower rate. Taking time to discuss in whispers what they were going to do now that the simple stop turned into something much, much worse. Once they were in sight of it, however, the party ran to a screeching halt as Vivi froze and began mumbling. Despite the best-known cure, shaking her shoulders, she wouldn't budge. Bellemere was the only one to try and decipher what those mumbled words were. She heard something that sounded like nickel, then robin. Following the gaze the gears turned and she recognized the cowboy hat wearing woman in the distance. Nico Robin. She was right there with Luffy. Instincts took over and she rushed forward, readying her trusty rifle. "Luffy! Move!" Despite his immense strength, she was known for trickery and deception.

Luffy stared to the yelled, then took a single moment to process the actual words. Why would he need to… The pieces fit together as he saw the rifle thrown up to her shoulder and pointed towards him. He turned his head, making sure there wasn't a mystery third person she was trying to shoot. Completely empty. The explosive bang from the gunpowder rang out behind him. She had pulled the trigger.

Robin froze entirely. She didn't have any plan for this. The boy that caught her interest turned out to be on the same level as Crocodile, in ability, if not skill. Now there she was, standing on his ship, shocked, about to be shot. Is this what her life was leading to? All the running and hiding she had done for twenty years culminated to being shot aboard a rookie pirate's boat.

The crunching of a bullet. The gasp of fear. The heavy breathing of shock. None of these were thanks to a bullet successfully coming into contact with the young woman's body. Rather, it was the crunching of rifle shot directly to the young man's sternum, the unified gasps of everyone around, the shocked breath of a woman who never expected to be saved again. Luffy fell down to one knee and groaned as he felt his chest. He didn't make a habit of actually getting shot for a reason. It damn well hurt, and thanks to his heroic he got to feel it. A shattered sternum, shards of bone sent carving into his chest. With a clawed finger, he forcefully dug the bullet out and sighed in relief as he started repairing his insides. "Ow… Dammit, that hurt." He couldn't yell out insults at her. Not off the bat anyway. But at least he reacted quickly enough to block the bullet. In hindsight, a wall of hardened blood would have been better, but he didn't exactly have time to think about it at the moment. With a quick turn of the head, he noticed the woman unharmed. "You okay?" He asked her, a small smile forming from at least one person he saved.

"Yes, I'm fine...Why did you-" Another yell cut off the woman, she wasn't going to finish a sentence for a good while now, she could tell.

"Mom! What the hell?!" Nami yelled as she ran up and jerked the rifle from her locked up hands. Despite the fact that Luffy was, for most purposes, invincible against bullets. Her mother just shot him square in the chest. "Luffy! Are you okay?!" Nami yelled, knowing the answer already. A single shot wouldn't stop him.

"Fine Nami! Just a flesh wound!" Luffy said as the bones started to snap back into place inside his chest. "Hey, so you never answered. You gonna join?" Luffy asked as he stood up straight again, wound slowly healing before her eyes.

"Would you allow me a moment to think about your offer? Somewhere private?" Robin asked, placing a hand on her chest, right where the young man took a bullet for her.

"Sure! I'll just go talk with Bellemere about why she shot me..." Luffy realized halfway through the sentence what an odd thing it was to happen. But there was nothing normal about it anyway, so it was just another thing. With that, he leaped off the ship towards the group.

* * *

Robin quickly made her way to the nearest empty room to think. She breathed heavily for a moment as she scanned it to make sure no one would interrupt her reflection on the situation. She was left in an awkward position. Turning him down meant being his enemy. Joining him meant being Crocodile's, as well as the world's, enemy. That being said, he certainly offered his own brand of protection. Crocodile's plan would end soon, and she was a loose end once it was over. Being allied with him did, however, protect her from the World Government, the only real reason she'd consider staying allied with him. But all of her years scrounging for knowledge taught her one thing. That young man was already an enemy of the world, one arguably more so than her. Which meant that even if she didn't join them, they'd be labeled an enemy eventually. She was stuck.

* * *

"What! The! Hell! Do! You! Think! You're! Doing?!" Bellemere yelled as she hit her lover and captain viciously, though ineffectively. He wasn't in the mood to take a beating, at least not after having his chest shot, so he kept morphing to avoid taking the blows.

"Trying not to get hit!" Luffy replied without a hint of sarcasm, honestly believing that was what the fiery red head was yelling about.

"No, not that! That woman was Nico Robin! She's dangerous!" Bellemere said, giving up on beating the lesson into him.

"But people say we're dangerous, so what's the difference?" Luffy asked, comparing his relatively kind crew with those out in the rest of the world. He did know the world could call anyone or anything dangerous so people could hate it, so what other people deemed dangerous didn't matter all that much.

"She's right, umm, Luffy was it?" The young blue haired woman whom Luffy had not been introduced to said, walking forward now that Robin was out of the area. "That woman… She may be the one responsible for Mr.9's death, or at least is involved." She was certain that would work at changing his mind.

Change it did. Luffy clenched his fists and ground his teeth together. He turned around and took a single step, but locked up. "How do you know that?" Luffy asked, pushing the homicidal rage out for rational thought to take control. This was undoubtedly given to the fact that she comforted him through his depression so well. Made him see the light in the dark act.

"Well… It's a long story, but you can't trust her. She's trying to overthrow my country alongside a very dangerous man who would do anything to take it from us. Killing Mr.9 wouldn't even faze him." Vivi answered, trying to show him the threat she posed. She didn't hold nearly as much hate for her as her partner, but she wasn't innocent in this.

"Well, I'll wait for her answer first. Then I'll ask her about it." Luffy said as he started to walk again, planning to wait on the deck for her answer.

"Don't underestimate her, Luffy!" Bellemere yelled, hoping to save him from any more pain. "She's been a danger to the government for twenty years."

"I've technically been one for ten, so I'm not worried," Luffy responded plainly as he picked up the pace. Leaving everyone behind to worry in some form or another.

* * *

Robin frowned as she laid back on the extra large bed. It typically wasn't difficult to make these type of decisions. Crocodile offered protection with his status. This young man was a giant target for the World Government to fire at. She couldn't be safe with them. But at the same time, it was safer to be amongst like people. The young man already saved her after all, and he had to know how wanted he was. Robin's thoughts were interrupted as the door was flung open and a woman stepped in.

"Of course, I had to carry her. Alvida's the strong one! She has nothing else to… Who the hell are you?" Her once private rant had been made a show by the presence of the woman on the bed in front of her. She quickly manufactured an answer before she ever got a response. "Oh don't tell me you're his new, new girlfriend! I just got here!"

"I don't believe so. Is that mandatory to join the crew?" That would certainly make the decision easier. Even Crocodile wasn't that piggish. It did bring up just how charming, or threatening, the boy could be to have female crew members with that policy.

"Phew. Thought I already had more competition. No, I don't think it's mandatory. I mean, that one girl has a different boyfriend… Who the hell are you, anyway?" Alvida had quickly overlooked the presence of a stranger when she feared another competitor to Luffy's affection.

"Oh, well I…" Robin had a few different ways to identify herself. Friend? Foe? Just some stranger taking a nap in their bed? "I'm your new crew mate… Nico Robin." While it may have not been the ironclad contract, it was a bonding agreement. One she hoped she didn't end up regretting.

"Oh. Well welcome aboard, I guess. I'm not the best welcoming party." Alvida said as she walked over, getting a better look at the woman. "So, what made you decide to join?" She was operating under the assumption that it had been hashed out with the rest of the crew already, and she was just the last to hear about it.

"Well, the captain drew me here. His reputation is growing amazingly quickly, at least amongst the ne'er-do-wells and villains of the world." Blurring the line of honesty, her specialty when it came to speaking with allies.

"Hmph… My name would be well known too if I could rip a person's insides out like him..." Alvida was still a bit upset that her life as a Pirate Captain was over. She was a smart enough woman to know the fault didn't rest entirely on Luffy, but it was still hard to cope with such a loss.

"While that's true, it doesn't change anything. He has the power, so he gets the fame." Robin was a lot better at accepting the truth, even if it just happened. His Devil Fruit Power made him a veritable monster to fight. Doing so with her power would undoubtedly end in a death sentence. Creating more pockets of blood for him to use? Like throwing gas on a fire.

"Great. You're smart and sensible… Well if you're not his newest girlfriend, why are you in our room?" Of the list of questions, it wasn't a high priority. But she wasn't the biggest talker and didn't know any more than her name. So it wasn't time for chit chat.

"He let me come in here to think over the offer. I have a quick question for you. Do you think he'd have let me leave if I turned down the offer?" Robin could tell she was assuming things already, this would merely ease her own mind.

"From what I've seen, probably. His kindness is so infuriating at times. Offering a marine a ride to a base, getting all emotional over a mercy killing. I swear sometimes he's like a kid playing pirate."

"I see. Thank you for your time, Alvida." That was definitely the third-person complaining the woman was doing. An annoying quirk, but one that at least let her identify the woman.

"Well, I have nothing better to do with it. That damn lemon girl wouldn't say a word to me." Alvida complained as she hopped on the bed and slipped off her shoes. Getting dressed was a pain with a slippery body, so she typically slept in her clothes.

Robin slowly walked to the door but had a quick thought. "Where is she, again?"

* * *

"Luffy. Calm down. You're not thinking clearly." Nami said as she rubbed up his arm, trying to calm him down. She didn't need him going out of control if he didn't have to, and this was particularly true after the bomb the old man had dropped on them. Luffy wasn't going to die! She'd kill him if he died. "If she's coming here and even thinking about joining, it could get her killed. That's worth something, right? Don't be stupid."

"You're right, Nami. He shouldn't be stupid… By giving the woman a chance! We can't let her endanger the crew!" If Nami was the voice of reason, Bellemere was the voice of action. She was looking to protect more from the outside forces than the inside issues. His face was blank, but his fists were clenched, ready to hit things. Many many things. She had heard about Nico Robin long ago, and her threat quickly caught her eye. Some children are just evil, no matter what. Robin was one that just tried to stay in the shadows and stab you in the back, rather than step out in the light and brag about it.

Vivi was a third voice in the matter, trying to find a balance between acceptance and destruction. "I don't think killing her would solve anything. Even if she is a threat, we should try and bring her to justice, not slaughter her." Vivi's view would at least keep the woman alive. A mercy she wouldn't give her partner.

* * *

Usopp, Kaya, and Igaram were out of the debate. Igaram was having his wounds treated by Kaya as best as she could provide. Luckily he had some knowledge on the basics of battle damage care and was still conscious to help her through it. "Okay. Two more wraps and I should be fine..." He said as she wrapped the tape, keeping his midsection stabilized. "Thank you, young lady. That was a big help."

"Oh, you're welcome sir. Thank you for helping me through it. I uh… Don't have a lot of first-hand experience..." Kaya said, defending much more than just her ignorance in helping him. Grief still filled her with her inability to save the other man.

"I could tell. Don't worry, we. Ma! Ma! Maaaa! All learn as we go." Igaram took another look to see if it comforted her, and could tell it would take more. "I do not doubt your diagnosis. Mr.9 took much more than any normal man could have survived. He may be the bravest young man I've ever seen to protect us like that. He knew that."

"Thank you… Usopp, would you please tell Vivi Igaram is all patched up? I think I'm going to bed..." With that, Kaya left to go to bed, wanting to end the miserable day.

"Of course, Kaya!" Usopp responded joyfully, trying to boost her spirits with a better attitude. It wasn't going to work anytime soon, sadly.

* * *

Zoro and Tashigi were in search of the two out of the loop on the events, at least more so than themselves. As much as Zoro liked the idea of leaving them here to suck on cactus juice and run around high until the buzzards had a hefty meal, he wasn't allowed to make that call. The two idiots, the curly browed moron, in particular, were necessary to continue on their adventure.

Tashigi more opted to join Zoro on his game of hide and seek. The walking and his quiet nature let her reflect on what she had seen and heard. Pirates with consciences, mercy, and respect were not what she was told in the academy. They were always depicted as bottom feeding scum who would rob the innocent and burn down villages for fun. But she was still breathing, well fed, promised shelter, and had her life protected. While she still had some rather negative feelings towards the man who pointed the gun, it was less of hatred and more of a true stereotype. But the others were polar opposite what she learned. Digging the grave of a man you don't know merely because he died defending someone's life was something out of the page of "Proud Marine Stories 101", but was instead an act performed by a pirate. That being said… "Umm… Zoro? What do you think of the marines? Outside of being their enemy."

Zoro didn't as much as glance back. He knew it would be easier to keep his eyes scanning for signs of the missing idiots. "I don't have anything nice to say about them as a whole. Most of my dealings with them were either bad or very bad, long before I was a pirate."

"Were you a bandit? A mercenary?" Tashigi needed to know these were the thoughts coming from the enemy of the marines and not just a-

"Swordsman. If I wanted money, I'd turn in a bounty. Eventually, that just started calling me a pirate hunter. Most marines aren't too happy if you go out and do their job for you, even if they weren't going to themselves." Zoro responded, slowing his pace to continue the conversation. This had to be going somewhere with her.

"But the bounties are issued for a reason. Some people go out and risk their lives to capture those criminals. That makes them an asset." While Tashigi did believe the people that enlisted should be doing the "Pirate Hunting", bounty hunters were an important part as well. Money could be a powerful motivator for those well trained to help the defenseless.

"Is that a joke?" Zoro asked, stopping altogether. "Marines don't like bounty hunters unless they personally hired them. Even then, it's more like tolerating a mangy dog that scares away stray cats. They just like to kick you more than a dog."

"Well, why keep doing it? You could just become an honest worker and not worry about, as you call it, being treated like some dog." Tashigi was on the defensive after that. Providing alternatives to being hated or hating the marines.

"Pff. What a shame, to judge a life that you can't change. You want to take this sword. To take all the swords. I don't know what started that little mission of yours, but I'm not going to spit in your face by telling you to give up. So don't spit in mine by telling me I should just stop what I'm doing and become some shipwright or fisherman!" Zoro got angrier by the end of the sentence, basically shouting at the poor girl. Unfortunately for him, there was one man with almost a sixth sense for things of this nature.

"Don't you yell at the beautiful marine woman!" Sanji yelled as he ran at the two, ready to kick the moss-headed swordsman into the sun if need be. He would not yell at such a pretty woman!

Zoro was, fortunately, quick with his hands and blocked the kick before it hit, sending his foot into the ground. "She pissed me off, so I'll yell if I feel like it, ero-cook!"

"Both of you shut the hell up." Gin ordered in his best commanding voice, causing the two to reluctantly pull away from the possible fight in case they had to kick his ass instead. "What are you even doing here? Where's Captain Luffy?"

Zoro shifted from his anger to focus back on the situation. "At the ship. A lot of stuff happened, and we didn't catch all of it. But apparently, some guys attacked this place and killed almost everyone. So we came here to find you and get the hell off this island."

"What do you mean, a lot of stuff? We were inside a whale, like, yesterday. What the hell could make us be in a bigger hurry than that?" Gin was genuinely surprised that something could happen so serious that they needed to leave in such a hurry.

"Short version, most everyone on the island is dead. So will you idiots stop questioning me and come on?" Zoro said before heading back to the ship...in the wrong direction. It was things like this that made them question him.

Tashigi pointed out his mistake, causing him rush back to try and save face. While it was definitely funny, it made her question how in the world they had made it this far as pirates if that was the sense of direction one of them had. God help them if he was ever the one giving directions.

* * *

Luffy stood as the door to the master bedroom opened. This was a tense moment he was dreading. Not as much as her, but he had no way of knowing that. Robin stepped out alongside Alvida, which surprised the other three awaiting the woman's response. She seemed happier than usual. What had the woman done? Drugged her? It would need to be an amazingly strong drug to make that woman happy… But that was only part of it. She was also safe. Something two-thirds of them were surprised to see. Luffy hid all emotions and asked, with a blank face "Well, what do you say?"

Robin looked at the awaiting ambush, if it could be called that. She could take on most all the crew single-handedly if they underestimated her, except Luffy. He could still end her life as easily as looking at her. "It wouldn't be too smart to turn down such a hospitable offer. Especially since the clenching of that fist tells me I wouldn't leave here alive if we weren't allied." Robin was wanted dead for reading poneglyphs, but stayed alive by reading people. Two of the three women did not look happy she was there, his blank face was being forced to hide a scowl of anger, and his fist was clenched. Even if she would be allowed to leave at this moment, he'd kill her in the future, protection with Crocodile or not.

"You can't be serious! Luffy, you can't just let her join! She's-" Bellemere was quickly cut off by Luffy's glance. He didn't need to as much as turn his head to send a shiver of fear up her spine and directly to her brain.

"She's our new crew mate," Luffy responded, easing his grip on the fist until it turned to a dangling open hand. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "One last thing, did you have anything to do with that nine guy's death?" Luffy asked, now in a relaxed state, trying to prevent anger. He made a special thought to feel for a rise in heart rate for this.

Robin's mouth contorted to a small frown. "No. Mr. Zero," She made special care to not outright mention his name, should they all be put in danger before they needed to be, "sent out the call for the capture of the princess, and in the process gave express permission to eliminate anyone who stood in their way or found out."

Luffy tilted his head towards the ground for a moment, eyes closed as he thought for a moment. "You're telling the truth, but he's still dead." Luffy looked back up at the woman. "Will you help us kill that lame zero guy?" It wasn't a condition to stay, it would just help the pink haired lady feel better.

"Is that your attempt at humor, captain?" She asked with a small smile, showing how she found it funny to even be asked. "I'll help any way I can."

Luffy smiled and stuck out his hand. "Than welcome to the crew, Robin!"

* * *

Hearing a lot of good stuff for the last chapter! Thanks, guys! I know it's kind of weird to put my response to the previous chapter at the end of the previous one, but I like to address everyone I can and don't want to put too much before it ever starts. Plus the most well committed of you guys know the deal by now, so it's too late to change it! Or maybe no one is looking at these and I'm just some crazy guy… Huh. Would explain a lot. But anyway, on to the Responses!

Sean1613- That's typically how I like to play around with the canon. Either they'll take more time, less time or his reputation as a pirate will be different and the events will adjust accordingly. Luffy isn't just an outright evil guy. A bit cruel, but only to those who deserve it. Luffy does enjoy killing in this story if that's not obvious, but he isn't Kid. He doesn't want to go around killing people that don't provoke him. Even back at Logue Town with the marines, he didn't attack because they didn't. As for the Tashigi situation… I'm an asshole, so that's not getting settled for a while. She's still having a crisis of faith.

Lightningblade49- I haven't set up a time frame for this disease's progression. I really don't get why people have taken Crocus' line so much credit. Sure he worked on it before. Over twenty years before. Before dealing with super doctor Chopper or the astonishing Law. It was just a nice shock ending to throw out there. Or maybe it was foreshadowing the future. Maybe I'm really a sadist who likes giving false hopes. But yes, Law could prove invaluable to Luffy. And now you know how she'll approach! Missing like, half the situation left her ignorant to exactly what she was dealing with. She weighed her options and, well. Welcome to the crew! Will it backfire? Will she double-cross them? Will Joey awake from the coma? Tune in next time to find out…

\- Yes! (You get to figure out who it was for)

madworld238- Well, that's a bit down the road still. I know it's still in Paradise, and that's where I'm more comfortable, but Jesus Burgess I want Luffy to just break Thriller Bark in half and go on. But yeah, not a chance I'm letting him miss Perona. She's a must recruit in my opinion. She's just a fun character.

Tonior- Well in canon, after the time skip, it's apparent that the baby was actually about three or so, so she's due sometime soon. It was a plot choice to have him die, especially for what he died for. Luffy took it seriously to die protecting your girlfriend. It's now the driving force behind ripping Crocodile apart. Also yeah, I just love giving Sanji hell in my stories. Like in SuperJail! With the starving guy who's always inches from food. I plan on giving Gin a girl, just haven't decided who yet. Suggestions would be nice! Maybe I should do a poll…

Kage Uzumaki- Without writing out literally multiple paragraphs to express my opinion on the idea, I'll sum it up. I like the idea, and may (or not) experiment with it. However, it won't be all that soon. I may put it in before Thriller Bark (For obvious reasons) so he has a bigger reputation going in. But I can't promise anything.

Devlin Dracul- Heartbreak and Adrenaline are two common themes, and they're an adorable couple dammit! Chopper will be working overtime for this. He'll be aiming for a cure, too. Not just a Whitebeard (Whitemustache) like hookup to keep him going. Something tells me you're leaning towards ZoTa (3) lol. No one knows which way I'll go with that, and it's lovely.

The Keeper Of Worlds- It was the longest chapter I've posted yet, but I'm glad that SHORT chapter was intense. Lol, I kid. I know a lot of it was the pre and post talk. Also, let's face it. Getting his skull crushed to a blood stain was MERCY compared to what Luffy would have done. Now let's go through those Sanji possibilities. Valentine, possible. Robin, not if I was offered a small gift of a million dollars. Perona, weird, possible, but unlikely. Tashigi, yeah even he knows he's out of the running there. Violet, possible. Monet, if I keep her alive, possible. But I'd love to write her reaction to Luffy's ability to solidify her. Conis, likely. I just like the running joke because of all the shit he gives Luffy in canon.

The Kitsune Saiyan- Thank you honorable, and adorable, Saiyan. I like to give plausible explanations for every death. He wouldn't have let her get hurt no matter what if he knew she was pregnant. A new teasing thing for that! Did he know she was pregnant before, and died to protect her and the baby. Or! Were Luffy's last words to him the first moment in which he discovered she was pregnant, and have an eternity of sadness for not being able to know his child flash before his eyes just before his life was ended. I'll let you think about that…

Mkaius- Well if you noticed, no one's plot armor invincible in this one, at least not to such a degree as in canon. He may have just been a side character, but those with a major impact on the plot may die too. Notice Luffy's word choice when speaking about the lame zero guy.

NeoZero13- Hey, if he were a dog defending a pet store he'd have double the following. I believe you can care about any care, big or small. Mr.9 was a pretty cool guy in canon. He was willing to fight for Vivi out of pure friendship. That stuff was pretty damn rare. I thought having Luffy show some humanity, despite it being devastating to him, would be better than have him drown on his own blood. You now see about Robin, and as for Whitebeard (Whitemustache), yeah. In the One Piece world, you can have literally enough going against you to put you in the hospital at all times and still be the Strongest Man in **the** World. But Luffy's a rising star who hasn't reached his peak yet, isn't he?

Chimera629- Yeah, I think that's a point that needs to get across. Luffy's had this power for 10 years now. He's been alive for longer with it than without. But he also hasn't been fighting people with it for that long. As for the other fruit eaters, none quite have the same raging ability this had. Luffy is taking control of an actual part of a person's body and using it for himself. I could explain it right now, but that would ruin the plot build up. Also, like Sanji? That's low man. The first person he met to join his crew, he punched her in the stomach so hard she became skinny! (Okay that's not what happened exactly, but still. He Falcon Punched her, which Sanji would never do) Some people still can't swim, and Sea Stone is also strong as hell. So yeah, 10/10 would become a blood man again.

daniel2610994- As long as the flames can be used to burn down the structures that should be rebuilt with stone, I'm fine with it.. It'll be explained in the story as we go. As for Mr.5's fruit… That'll be in the next chapter.

Guest- First of all, let me say I loved your review, and wish you had an actual name I could call you. To disturb and fascinate are my goals with this story. His fruit has unlimited possibilities when it comes to combating enemies. I could literally go on and on about it, so I will just a little bit. Luffy's Fruit, if I had to describe it, would more accurately fit into a brand new Mythic Logia slot. Seeing as he can use a Living Element, Blood, and change its form. When hardened it can be as strong as he can make. The denser the stronger. He's also a Liquid, and has a lot more freedom of movements as such. (Short of his Plasma based brothers, and the technically fluid Akainu) So he can alter his body just to scare people. So if it disturbs you, just wait until he **[REDACTED]** , that'll really be disturbing. It's also kinda funny since everytime he's about to do some actual cannibalism and actual vampirism, he gets stopped. Yeah I see that. Big (actually little since he's younger than her) Bro Zoro protecting Tashigi. But you'll see how I structure that later.

Zeckromizder- Joke or not, let me clear this up just in case you inadvertently confused some people. Monday is pregnant, not Vivi. Valentine will be determined. Vivi loves her country first. Harem choices. Robin, you bet your sweet typing finger she's in. Hancock, would I even be spared if I didn't let her in? Marguerite, But, his poor kintama! Sadi-Chan, more like Maso-Chan compared to Luffy. Domino, definitely thought about it. Keimi, doubt it. Viola, doubt it. Perona, most likely. Bonney, match made in writer heaven. Hina, giving it some thought. Olive, maybe? She's anime only so I don't know. Rebecca, damn good chance. I know everyone has an opinion on who Luffy should have, and I don't mind people expressing it. But some of the people are wayyy down the road, so for now please limit your requests and suggestions to Paradise, as none of my stories have even left there yet. Also I don't know about Sabo either. We'll see I suppose. I honestly haven't thought that far down the road you guys. I go island to island in terms of stuff like the harem.


	13. Bury the Hatchet and Bite the Skin

Hello everyone! This update was soooo long to write. Well. It took about the average time all and all, I just didn't have any of it. But I won't bore you all with that story. I'll try and entertain you with this one! But yeah, I'm very sorry about the month delay (He said, looking at his other two stories, one of which is on hiatus and the other one just begging to be updated) but my free time is bloody well gone. It has, however, given me time to think some stuff up at least…. And forget more stuff. So that sucks. But oh well, I can think it up again! Probably…

* * *

The reaction to the new crew member was… mixed, to say the least. Somewhere nuzzled between total acceptance and a nuclear detonation, though leaning towards the detonation. Bellemere reacted to the news with the subtlety and grace expected from a long time marine woman.

"Are! You! Insane!" She yelled as she slapped her captain, boyfriend, lover, and a weird sort of son-in-law over and over. "You can't honestly think she's-" Bell was cut off when Luffy stopped rolling with the slaps and responded by covering her mouth.

"I think she's a part of the crew now, so you don't get to bad mouth her past." Luffy said, almost a different person with the severity of his tone. "You're to give her the same courtesy you give everyone else until she gives a reason otherwise," Luffy said, taking his hand from her mouth and staring in her eyes, making sure the message got through.

"….Yes sir, Captain." Bellemere responded, swallowing her pride to address Luffy as her captain rather than her boyfriend. A position she was really hating. This was exactly why you don't date your superiors.

"You keep your crew on a rather short leash, captain." Robin responded, amused that the woman who obviously wasn't her biggest fan was shut up so efficiently.

Luffy blinked a few times, looked back to Bellemere, then back to Robin. "She's not on a leash…" The gears turned in his head for a moment before he got it. "Oh! Well, she shouldn't just hate you for what you've done. You're one of us now!"

"Quite the sentiment, Captain. I appreciate it." Robin said with a hand over her heart and a nod of her head. "Can you show me where I'll be sleeping, assuming I don't have to share a bed with you that is."

"Yeah sure. That's up to you, I think it's a lot softer than those other ones anyway. Shishishi." Luffy laughed as he led her away from the deck and towards the women's quarters. Which actually housed only one woman at the moment, as Kaya and Usopp opted to spend their time in more secluded parts of the ship than a shared room for their nights.

* * *

Vivi sweated as the young captain and his newest crew member walked away. She sat down and rubbed her forehead, questioning the sanity of the man now. The red, or rather tangerine orange, haired girl sat beside her, obviously showing a willingness to talk. "Is your captain always so impulsive?"

Nami smiled a bit at the outside look at it all. "Well, he's…. Yeah, pretty much. But really he's just trying to be fair. He offered her the spot before we showed up, and he's not one to take back something like that. But if she does anything, he'll stop her. Don't worry. Now, could you tell me about your kingdom? Is it wealthy?" Nami couldn't fight her greed long. Short of getting the ability to turn everything she touched to gold, nothing ever would.

"We were well off before the war. But now I doubt we could even be called a nation with our treasury in the state it's in… Civil War is the worst type to fight. You spend money to kill your own people..." Vivi quickly realized who exactly she was telling this to. "But, I'm sure we have some to reward you. My father wouldn't let you walk away empty-handed if you returned me..." She had to be prepared for this being less of an escort and more of a hostage return.

"That would be nice… Umm, sorry about the war thing. Heh, maybe Luffy could stop it for you. He's pretty persuasive… and terrifying."

"Well if he wants to get Mr. Zero than he'd also be helping me stop the war. He's responsible for it all." Vivi said as she curled in on herself, trying to find some comfort.

"The poor bastard. Luffy wanted him dead before this, now he doesn't stand a chance." Nami said, trying to cheer the girl up.

"Thanks for saying that. But I still have to ask him about it myself..."

"Well don't worry. Luffy's really a nice guy. I'm sure he'll help you out, especially if I try and convince him."

* * *

Bellemere had angrily stormed off after Luffy went to take Robin to her room. She snatched Alvida by the collar and dragged her along with her so she could have someone to yell at about Luffy. "What the hell is wrong with him?! He can't just make that decision, can he?!" Bellemere knew, in all honesty, almost nothing about the inner workings of pirate crews. So the power to accept anyone you want into the crew without consulting the members seemed a bit unfair.

Unfortunately for Bell, she was arguing about a pirate captain's decision to a former pirate captain. "As sure as he could kick you out for doubting it, so I'd calm down a bit. She seems like a nice woman, if a bit aloof. Why are you so upset? Want him all to yourself?"

"Will you shut up and let me yell?! That woman's dangerous!" Bellemere yelled, trying to blow past that last comment. "Does no one care about my opinion here?!"

"Not in the slightest, but that's just because you can be a bit of a bitch." Alvida retorted with a smirk. "But bitching aside, so what? You don't want a cute furball or terrified fighter. You want someone who can fight when necessary. If she's dangerous, she's useful. If she's not, well, you find a use."

"So you're saying because this woman has the ability to wipe out a fleet of armed men with ease, we should welcome her with open arms to what is essentially a floating coffin if she were to attack us?"

"Now you're getting it! She's on our side now, so that's a good thing. Even if she does attack, we're all capable of defending ourselves, for the most part. Plus, we have a secret weapon." Alvida said with a smile, fully confident in Luffy's ability to protect them ever since the Logue Town incident.

"Yeah well, he's our only one…" Bellemere started to think over her words as she walked away. Some of them didn't have the skills to defend themselves like the rest of them. That would be a good place to start, at very least to keep her mind off the quick change of events.

* * *

Miss Monday had just gotten up from the grave of Mr. Nine. It gave her some small comfort to see he had a better resting place than the other people who'd been buried here. She clenched her fist as she turned away from it and started walking back towards the pirate's ship. She had an important favor to ask.

* * *

Zoro, Tashigi, Sanji, and Gin arrived at the ship shortly after the latest events. Zoro, who had enough of Sanji after a short time with his company, avoided him like he had the plague as soon as they got back to the boat. He had missed his work out session anyway and needed to catch up. He, however, counted it as unfortunate to have another swordsman shadowing him. A blue haired clutz of one at that. She perched herself on the railing and awkwardly rubbed her hands as she seemingly waited for him to finish. Zoro, simply put, did not appreciate the spectating. "What. The Hell. Do You Want?" He asked between push ups, trying to keep track in his head.

"Huh? I don't want any- Oh, you mean. Got it… I don't really know where else I should go. So I just thought I'd see what a pirate does in his, well, downtime."

"Stop. Saying that. Like. We're all. The Same." Zoro complained. He got that she wasn't well educated about pirates outside fighting them, but come on. Not everyone is the same. "I'm. Working. To become. The Greatest. Swordsman."

"Well that would mean taking the title from the person who already holds it, and I doubt you could so much as meet-" The marine was cut off from condescending the pirate by a laugh.

"I've. Already. Faced Mihawk. That's why. I'm training." Zoro said, after a short burst of hardy laughter. She really thought she'd have him there.

"You... You can't be serious. How could you even survive a fight with Hawkeye Mihawk!" Tashigi was genuinely stunned by that fact. Among swordsmen pirate and marine alike, Mihawk was a walking horror. One to emulate in skill, and detest in status as a sanctioned war criminal, even if he didn't necessarily act like a pirate. Nevertheless, he was a man famed for incredible strength and skill. For someone from East Blue to as much as survive a fight was unbelievable.

Zoro stopped his exercise completely at the question. He pushed up off the ground and stood tall, popping his neck as he gave it a moment to think. He proceeded to show her the giant scar left by Mihawk's vicious black blade. "I have promises to keep. I'm just glad Mihawk survived so I can keep them." Zoro smirked a bit at his follow up remark, seeing as it would surely mess with her.

Tashigi furrowed her brow in response. Promises don't keep people alive nearly as often as they get them killed. But that was the less interesting part. "What do you mean 'You're glad he survived'?! You nearly died from that wound!"

"Yeah, but Mihawk wouldn't have lasted half as long fighting Luffy. He'd have torn him to shreds." Zoro couldn't help but smirk at the thought. The most deadly swordsman in the seas wouldn't last a fight against his captain if he really wanted Mihawk dead. But Luffy was going to let him die fighting Mihawk for his dream. He found one hell of a captain.

"You have a little too much faith in your Captain. He may be strong, and even a good man, but he can't beat everyone. Mihawk is too skilled."

Zoro smiled again at her view on the matter. "Luffy taught me this lesson very quickly. Your strength, skill, intelligence, and planning don't mean shit when you fight him. I don't know if Mihawk has ever shown fear, but I saw the face of a man who believed he'd die when Luffy rushed him. I'm going to bed, you give that some thought."

Tashigi was left stunned once again as Zoro retired to his hammock. She was pretty good at reading people, save for not knowing he was a pirate in the first place, and he didn't seem to be lying. "Strength and Skill don't matter when you fight him… My god..."

* * *

"Oi! Luffy! Where are you dammit?!" Sanji yelled as he craned his neck to find the idiot captain. He had a lot of explaining to do as to why he couldn't stay here, drink, find a lovely girl, and have an enjoyable night for once since joining!

"Captain! We'd like a status report!" Gin wasn't as capable as Sanji to bad mouth Luffy. He would show him at least most of the respect captain's are shown. Even if he didn't agree with every last decision, that was a freedom his captain gave him.

"Will you two stop yelling!" Nami yelled at the two, making them recoil in fear. "He's showing our new crew member to her room, and before you-" Before Nami could warn him on the before you warning, Sanji immediately rushed to the women's dorm.

"Luffy! I swear on my life if you even think about seducing this woman I'll- Ahh!" Sanji fell to his knees in despair at the sight. The beautiful woman was already kissing him!

* * *

Moments earlier in that very room…

"So this is your room!" Luffy yelled like he was selling the room rather than giving it to her. "Right now you share it with Kaya, but I don't think she's actually been staying in here… There's a little place for your spare clothes…" As Luffy said it he realized the problem. She wasn't bringing anything but the very nice, but not very practical, purple cowgirl outfit. "Well, you can put some in here when we get them. Nami may have some you can borrow. Umm… What else…" Luffy was trying his best to show off the room, but he was used to bragging about his.

"A nice room for such a small ship. Though I can see the allure of yours." Robin said with a hand draping across his chest as she passed, teasing him a little before sitting on the bed. "It's not bad, though. Quiet. Plus it does offer a lot more privacy."

"Eh, if you like that stuff I guess. I'm glad you like it, though. Thanks for joining my crew, Robin." Luffy said with a smile as he turned to leave, thinking the conversation to be over. Of course, it wasn't.

Robin grew a hand out of the wall and stopped him by pushing on his chest as if she were standing there, blocking it herself. "Wait a moment. That's all? Here's your room, thanks for joining? No threats? Advances?" This was certainly unexpected, even after the talk with the smooth-skinned woman.

Luffy fought every last urge he had to point out how cool that arm trick was, which he definitely would do as soon as he could, to focus on exactly what she was asking. "Umm… No?" He really had to ask the question back to understand what she was talking about.

"You aren't going to threaten me to not betray you?" She wasn't wanting him to, she just wanted to know why he wasn't. Though she knew the answer already. Arrogance. That no one would dare cross him.

"I didn't think I had to threaten my friends with that… Are you okay, Robin?" Luffy was getting worried by this weirdness. Sprouting arms were one thing, but questions? That's just plain worrying.

Robin looked him over again. Had she really been wrong in assuming it was arrogance? That wasn't normal. Wait...Did he say, friend? "Yes. I'm fine, Captain." Robin gave a half smile, hoping he would accept it and give her time to think.

"Well if you need anything, just poke me with one of your cool ghost arms! That was so cool! How'd you do that?!" The timer had run out on how long he could go without mentioning the cool sprouting arms thing.

Robin's forced half smile quickly shifted to a genuine one. Her new captain was such an odd fellow. Deadly, Serious, Goofy, and Childish all in one. She crossed her arms and sprouted an arm on his own and poked him. "Like that?" She asked with a smile.

Luffy looked at the arm and smiled, before poking it back. "Yeah. That's so cool! You can grow arms anywhere! Hey, can you feel it? I don't really feel anything in it..." Luffy looked at it with a cocked head. There wasn't blood pumping through it, but that was no surprise since it wasn't connected to a body.

"I can, yes. Just as I'm sure you can feel your.. Blood, wherever you put it. It's as much my limb as any." Robin hadn't explained her power in a long time, seeing as no one was ever too interested in the how it worked and more how effective it was.

Luffy reached to shake her hand to test it, and sure enough, she could shake it perfectly fine. "So you could give yourself a back rub whenever you wanted…" Luffy had a few other ideas. Tripping people, doing the tap on the shoulder gag, expertly stealing candies from babies. They only got worse as he thought…

Robin smiled at his innocent little idea on a tool she used to be an assassin, interrogator, and all around bad person. "I suppose so, though I hold tension in my shoulders." With that, she sprouted some arms and began to massage her own shoulders, partly to demonstrate and partly out of the whole stress thing. "You really have a funny way of looking at what I can do."

"Well, I'm sure you can do other stuff. I'm just saying, that seems the coolest. If I gave someone a massage with grown arms they'd be terrified." Luffy laughed a little as he thought about giving someone a massage with hands made out of blood, whether they knew it was him or not.

Robin decided to take that as a compliment. He probably didn't put a high value on killing given his advanced ability to himself. "If you say so captain. Just remember I do it for other things as well. I'm very good at killing. So you don't have to worry about me." Informing him of this could save some times in which he considers her a damsel who needed to be saved.

"Do they make you bulletproof?" Luffy asked with a cocked head, awaiting an actual answer.

"Well, no they-"

"Can you still be hurt?" He followed up, cutting her off as soon as he got the reply he needed.

"Well, of course, I can still-"

"Than you can't tell me not to worry," Luffy smiled as he stood up "or not to protect my friends." Luffy decided that would be the best note to leave on. If he knew anything, it was dramatic timing.

Robin wanted to rebut, but there was no chance it would go in her favor. Instead, she got up and grabbed him by the shoulder. "Captain Luffy… Thank you." She rewarded the kind young man with a kiss.

* * *

" **Ahhhhh!** " Sanji's cries were the greatest of grief that day, and he didn't even know who he lost. He could feel the depths of his heart cracking. Could he know no beautiful woman? It was all so damn unfair.

Luffy could feel his eardrums on the verge of bursting, so he instinctively covered Robin's ears. His own could simply be repaired, he didn't know about hers. After the train horn loud yells and curses, he pulled away from the kiss and turned to face the ero-cook. "Sanji! Where's breakfast?! I'm starving!" He yelled back, nowhere near as loud as Sanji however.

Sanji wiped away the comical amount of tears and had a quick shift in attitude, to rage. "You're starving?! You're fucking starving?!" He launched a devastatingly powerful kick to his head, hoping to crush it and keep it that way. It connected, but unfortunately for him, Luffy actually saw it coming, so he essentially kicked an orb of steel once he clotted the side of his face, though Luffy was still knocked off balance. Sanji immediately hopped on his uninjured foot and continued to assault his captain...verbally. "Than jump in the fucking ocean! The dead aren't hungry!"

Luffy rubbed the dent in the clotted side of his head Sanji still managed to make. It felt red hot with rage. "Wow… Nice kick… Now cook me breakfast! I want bacon!" Luffy yelled as he walked, pushing Sanji so he hopped the direction of the kitchen.

"Stop changing the subject!" Sanji yelled as he kept hopping. "Don't you have enough women?!"

"Huh? Robin's not my girlfriend. Wait… Robin! Are you my girlfriend?!" Luffy yelled back, causing Sanji to fall over in despair just from the question.

"No, Captain Luffy!" Robin yelled back loud enough for him to hear. Though it wasn't necessarily an angry yell. She found it kind of funny that he had to check.

"See? Now cook my bacon!" Luffy ordered as Sanji took a small victory and joyfully hopped to the kitchen to start breakfast for everyone. They were all on the verge of a crash at this rate, and would need some energy.

* * *

The time passed very quickly between then and breakfast. Sanji was full of hope after all. The entire ship was fed with his culinary delights. Luffy, of course, enjoyed an almost exclusive breakfast of meat. Everyone else had at least some sense of the term 'Balanced Breakfast,' even those there that weren't crew members. The young princess and her personal majestic haired bodyguard got the best meal they had in weeks. At least, since they had that giant sea cow. Robin volunteered to take the meal Sanji prepared for their captive, Miss Valentine, to her. Despite an obvious conflict of interest, it was allowed.

Miss Valentine was being held in the lowest deck of the ship, to dissuade her from trying to escape. If she decided to crank up her weight like she tried, she'd be dead very quickly. Despite her loyalty, she surely didn't want to die just for a chance to kill them. Or worse, to survive and have angered them all. But unfortunately for her, she had another terrifying monster to deal with.

"Miss Valentine. I see you're awake." Robin said with a smile as she walked down to the cargo hold, eying the woman chained up directly past the stairs.

"M-Miss All Sunday! You're here! Did you kill those pirates and come to rescue me?" The woman had actually gotten hopeful for a moment. A sad, sad mistake.

"Hmm? Of course not." She said as she lied her plate down in front of her. "No, that wasn't an option. I've decided I don't want to be eviscerated and joined them."

"You… You must be joking." Miss Valentine's eyes dimmed at the prospect. If Miss All Sunday had no chance, she was sitting square in the belly of the beast already.

"Not at all. The monster I'm sure you fought isn't who the captain is, I assure you. If you ask for forgiveness, they may let you go." Robin didn't dislike Miss Valentine. She didn't particularly care for her, but that didn't mean a hatred. She could be used as an experiment. A secondary test of the captain's compassion. She could never be too safe, even if it felt safe.

"I don't think so. The captain he… He took out Mr. Five so easily..." Miss Valentine had never doubted herself before. She knew that a few agents were above her, obviously, but that didn't mean she was to be underestimated. But now…

"Well, I'm merely giving you the option. I don't gain anything from it. But, I word of advice. I am a member of their crew now. So if you decide to force your way out, I will retaliate." Robin knew the best way to deal with the lower agents was fear. She alone could kill almost any agent, and they all knew it.

"U-understood Miss All-"

"Robin. No need for code names anymore." She cut her off as she walked towards the stairs, not bothering to look back for the correction.

* * *

After that Robin went to her new captain, ready to bare a gift. However, while she was dealing with the prisoner, they got a visitor.

Miss Monday and Vivi were having a meeting with the Luffy. Most everyone else was a good bit away, watching and being deadly silent to hear what was going on. When Robin approached, they all synchronized their 'Shh's' to keep her from ruining their snooping.

"Please, Captain Luffy. I know you don't have an obvious incentive, but my country needs me. My father will surely repay your gratitude." Vivi pleaded, trying to crack the now oddly stoic captain.

"If what Miss Wednes… Princess Vivi said was true. I would like to join you, at least until we get the bastard that… Please." Miss Monday didn't want to talk about the death any more than necessary.

Luffy rested his head in his hand, covering his mouth as he thought. Not necessarily heavy thinking, as his heart was making this decision. He just knew the underlying problem here. Miss Monday wanted vengeance. He wanted some vengeance. But Miss Monday would not be happy with Robin. "I think I can help you both, for an agreement."

Vivi gulped while Monday gripped her fists. Pirates never did something for nothing. The problem was, they didn't have anything. "What is it?"

"You can't hurt any of my crew, or doubt me. I want this guy to pay, but you worked for him too. So you can't blame everyone." The terms were directed to Miss Monday.

She stared with a furrowed brow for a moment. She was confused and suspicious, but this was her best shot. "Fine. That seems too basic to be good, though..."

Luffy stood and smiled, breaking the stoic facade he had to put up to assure the safety of his crew.

"Great! Hey, guys, we're going to stop a war!" Luffy yelled out, a cheek stretching smile on his face.

The group facepalmed in unison at how simple their captain made a monumental task out to be. Like it was going to take just a few punches and that would solve it! They picked themselves up whined their protests. Especially Nami about being paid in 'Gratitude.' "It's not that simple you moron!" They yelled out.

"Sure it is. We go there, beat up this Zero guy, tell the people. Boom, end of the war." Luffy said with a smile, truly believing that was all it took.

"I'm just happy you're willing to help," Vivi said with a smile as she walked towards the group. "Now that I know we're safe, Carue! You can come out now!" Vivi yelled out towards the cacti. Her Super Sonic duck was strong and fast, but she would have needed him for a speedy escape more than a fight. So he was to lie in waiting until she gave the signal.

Come out he did. The duck sprinted at the boat at breakneck speeds, kicking up sand as he made his way there. He had a scowl on his face since he was forced to wait, but Vivi's plan was better than his bite and kick plan. He made a leap up to the boat and saluted the Princess, then looked at the strangers defensively.

"Cool! A fast chicken!" Luffy said excitedly as he saw it. This was turning out to be a pretty cool morning, especially considering the terrible night.

"Actually, Carue is a duck." Vivi corrected as she walked over to hug him. "I'm glad you're okay Carue. These are my new friends. They're going to get us back to Alabasta."

Carue looked at them again, trying to make sure he heard her right. These were the people she befriended? They didn't look like the friendlies bunch, especially… Carue started to quack in a horrified manner at the sight of Robin, who he recognized well.

"No Carue! Calm down! Miss All Sunday is on our side now!" Vivi yelled, trying to calm down her beloved companion. She held his wing to comfort his fear.

Carue, however, wasn't the only one who needed to be calmed down. "You're… You're Miss All Sunday!" Miss Monday yelled in anger as she clenched her fists. She didn't actually know who the woman was before, but now she knew she was the bitch responsible for he pain. Without a second thought, she swung her fist in rage…

But, her fist was caught by the waiting captain. His grip iron tight around her broad hand. Her face coiled in pain as she looked up, checking the face of whoever stopped her from seeking vengeance. The awaiting cold stare was all that was needed. "Rule number one. No hurting my crew." Luffy stated, letting her soak up the knowledge before letting her hand go. Any tighter and she'd have needed a replacement hook.

Rather than argue, which would be breaking rule number two and undoubtedly get her kicked off the boat, Monday gritted her teeth and rubbed her hand. It was a miracle the bones were intact. "Just make sure she doesn't take who you love too." Miss Monday said before walking away. Intent on at least getting a ride off the island and to wherever the hell the boss was.

Robin frowned lightly as Miss Monday stormed off, knowing she was being blamed for the events. But she couldn't let that matter now. She was still a new crew member who needed to earn trust. "Thank you, Captain. I wouldn't have liked snapping her arms to calm her down. I have a gift for you." Robin's arms crossed to make way for dozens more, hauling the gift in a one woman conveyor belt. In the flower field of hands was a large, round, black fruit.

Luffy instantly recognized what it was. Even if it wasn't just like his own, he could recognize a devil fruit. They were pretty distinctive. The gears turned and he realized what it was. The black coloration and thin stem. It looked like a very comical bomb. "Hey. That's from that guy, right? The booger one?"

"Correct captain. The Bomu Bomu no Mi. A rather destructive paramecia, I'd say." She smiled a bit as she presented it on a pedestal of arms. "The person who eats it has the power to make any part of their body explode."

"That's so cool!" Luffy yelled as he picked it up and looked at it. "I could have exploding blood! That would be so awesome! I could sling it on people, then-"

"If you ate it, you would experience a horrific death," Robin said, cutting him off before he decided to take a bite. "I'm not sure on the exact effects, but no one who's eaten two has lived to tell the tale."

"Aww…. So, wait. One of you guys can eat it!" Luffy yelled, turning to his friends. His eyes were wide with excitement at the idea of an explosive friend.

They all took a quick look at each other, then back at him. "Why the hell would we want to explode?!" They yelled back in unison. Seriously, were they all telepathic? Luffy didn't know the term, but that's what he thought.

"Well, of course, it won't hurt you. In fact, you'll be immune to all explosions." Robin reassured, walking towards them.

"That… Would be useful..." Bellemere admitted, crossing her arms. She didn't want to give this woman an inch, but she couldn't lie.

"See! Bell gets it!" Luffy yelled with a smile. "So come on, who wants to be a Bomb Man?" He asked, bounding towards them.

"It's not that simple. This is a big decis-" Nami couldn't as much as finish the sentence before the fruit was snatched up by Sanji, who began to examine it. "A big decision you idiot!" She yelled angrily before chopping the back of his head.

"Oww! But Nami dear, I was merely considering it!" Sanji defended as he rubbed the bump on his head. "I could defend you lovely ladies with such greater efficiency if I was immune to explosions!" 'And moss head would think twice about trying to start something when my kicks are explosive'

"No way!" Luffy yelled as he took the fruit back. "You already try to kick my head off as is, I'm not letting you add explosives to that!"

Sanji started to argue but was stopped by the stares. He was right. If Luffy got one more woman… He probably shouldn't be given explosive weaponry.

"Well let's just hang on to it. I mean, nothing says we have to eat it. Those things are worth fortunes!" Nami yelled as her eyes turned to Beli signs. A single devil fruit was worth her entire life savings. No telling on one they know the effects of.

"I believe she's right, Captain. They are indeed valuable. Let them give it some thought." Robin said, backing up the claim that they could wait. It would be best eaten by someone who could take full advantage of the power, and who wouldn't try to kill Luffy with it.

"Yeah I guess..." Luffy pouted, the picture of an explosive crew mate getting foggy. "I think it's time we leave. Off to the next island!" Luffy yelled, getting everyone to rush to their respective station.

* * *

Robin quickly pulled Luffy and Ms. Navigator aside to talk about their next destination. Cuing them in on the lesser known facts on a big place called Little Garden.

"A year! We can't wait an entire year for the Log Pose to reset!" Nami yelled out. Robin may have left the part about her eternal pose out, but only to toy with her.

"We won't have to wait that long. I have a special Log Pose that can lead us straight to Alabasta. I'm merely suggesting we stop by to deal with some former colleagues of mine."

"Shishishi." Luffy laughed with a big smile on his face. "I want to stop by just to see a dinosaur. Think they're tasty?!" Luffy asked, genuinely interested in the possibilities of an entirely new type of meat for him to sink his teeth into.

Nami turned around and cried to herself. "Luffy's insane. He hears there's an island of dinosaurs and wants to eat one. What did I get myself into?"

"Oh come on Nami! Adventure! Freedom! Meat!" Luffy really was a simple man. Those three things were all it took for him.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a small garden…

"Mr. Three, have you heard from the Unluckies?" The Den Den Mushi with an inexplicable stitched up scar spoke.

"No sir, Mr. Zero. They have not brought us our report." The weird man with a number three haircut spoke into his end.

"Damn. What's taking them… Miss All Sunday isn't back either. Be on the look out for Miss All Sunday, either of the Five pair, or the princess. If they are in the company of any non-Baroque agent, consider them hostiles. But capture Miss All Sunday alive no matter what."

"Yes sir, Mr. Zero." Mr. Three responded, gulping hard at the prospect of trying to capture Miss All Sunday. "But I still need my Eternal Pose deliver-" The Den Den Mushi unceremoniously shut off. "-ed… It's like I don't even exist..."

"What about me?" The little girl accompanying him asked, looking up from her tea set.

"What about you? You don't do your job frequently enough to exist." He said, smirking to himself as he left the wax house.

* * *

Some time later, on board the Going Merry…

"I'm bored! Why are you guys being boring?!" Luffy yelled from his spot on the figure head, watching the uninteresting show.

"Because training isn't fun Luffy," Bellemere said as she walked between the crew. Usopp, Nami, Gin, and Kaya were doing push ups. Sanji, for obvious reasons, was doing leg presses with a barrel filled with 'seized' alcohol from Whiskey Peak.

"Why. The Hell. Do we. Have to do this?!" Usopp complained as his scrawny arms shook from the push ups. "More importantly. Why doesn't Luffy have to do it?!"

"Because, you need to be ready to fight without an entire crew. We can't always help each other. As for that, Luffy doesn't need to get stronger. He's a damned monster."

Alvida and Zoro shot each other looks. They were, for some reason, left out of that little monster description. Though that wasn't exactly why Alvida didn't have to exercise. Seeing as she'd never be able to do a push-up without comically falling. "If you think you don't need the exercise, you can try fighting one of us."

Usopp and the rest of them glanced up. Alvida was unquestionably stronger than any normal man. Zoro easily beat her on raw strength alone. Luffy… Even if he didn't rip them apart from the inside or super charge himself, he was still an absolute monster they wouldn't ever want to fight.

"What about me Bellemere dear?! I'm surely stronger than moss head!"

"Sanji dear, he can fit more exercise in his routine than you. Are you suggesting I can't help..." Bellemere pouted a bit, throwing on a fake sad face.

"Not at all! Thank you for your masterful help, Bellemere dear!" Sanji yelled, doing the leg presses at an impossible rate with the new motivation.

'Men are just too easy sometimes...' She thought to herself as she turned back to face the others. Sanji was super strong, sure. But he was a hand-to...foot, fighter. Without the aid of a weapon or Devil Fruit, he was at greater risk. Hell, even Usopp would fight from a distance. She averted her eyes away from Luffy, who was shooting a stare for the flirting. "Twenty more, then you can take a break."

The weakling trio, Kaya, Nami, and Usopp, groaned at the command. Gin and Sanji worked harder at the remaining ones. Each driven by their inner goal.

* * *

Igaram and Vivi were in the kitchen, talking for the first time since they got on board the ship. His injuries had left him incapacitated for some time while he recovered. "I find it hard to believe a pirate would be so kind as to help us without pay..."

"I think you're wrong Igaram. They're good people, really. The only thing he wants from us is to respect him while they offer passage. That's a very generous offer to strangers."

"Well if I believed there was a better option, we wouldn't be having this conversation. But we need to get you back to Alabasta." Igaram could only focus on getting Vivi safely home. If these people could do that, they would earn his trust.

"Of course Igaram. I'm sure they'll respect the urgency of our situation and try their best to return us to our kingdom as quickly as possible."

* * *

Immediately following those words on deck, as if the world had a special since of irony….

"Woohoo! Land! Dinosaurs! Adventures!" Luffy yelled as he saw the island Robin had told him about. Little Garden. An apparently primordial (What that meant, Luffy had no idea) place time simply didn't notify the passing of. As if it had forgotten about it.

Alvida smirked a bit. She never got this kind of energy out of her old crew, at least not without threatening their lives.

Nami was biting her nails. Why oh why did they have to come here? Dinosaurs weren't exactly nice, so why would they want to surround themselves with them? They better not have to stay here long…

Bellemere redirected her attention into the training. Luffy could take down anything from a dog to a T-Rex with relative ease, even if it would eat at him. They were safe with him around, but she wanted to change how safe they were without him. "You three know the rules! If you want to stop, that means you want to go hunting for those dinosaurs!" She yelled out to the weakling trio, scaring them into further dedication. They won't get as strong as Zoro or Luffy, but they'd end up shaming some marines if they kept up with the motivation.

"Hunting dinosaurs… Hey, mosshead! You want to make yourself useful and get us some food?!" Sanji yelled, getting the swordsman's attention.

Zoro wasn't actually all that far away, it was just that Sanji hardly spoke to him in anything less than a shout. "You need me to go out and hunt a big bad dinosaur for you?" Zoro teased as he pushed himself up from his resting position.

"I'm twice the hunter you could ever be!" Sanji yelled as he stood up to Zoro, staring him down. "I'm going to bag the biggest dinosaur you've ever seen!"

"Jokes on you curly brow, I've never seen a dinosaur!" Zoro retorted. Sanji backed down, realizing the comment was accurate.

"Do they always fight like that, Captain Luffy?" Robin asked her captain from her spot behind him on the railing, watching the going ons aboard the ship.

Luffy looked back. He was waiting for her to say something so they could go. It was agony to not rush into the thick jungle and run wild, but she said they had important business to do here. "Oh, Zoro and Sanji? Yeah, they're funny like that. Can we go see this three guy now? I wanna see a dinosaur!"

"Fufufu, of course, captain," Robin said as she stood up. "You may want to warn everyone to stay on the ship while we're away. This is a very dangerous island." She suggested as she walked towards the edge, ready to hop down and explore the island.

"But… Fine..." Luffy groaned, dragging his feet as he walked towards them. "Guys! Try not to die while we're gone!" Luffy yelled before rushing off the edge of the boat. The wide smile on his face screamed he wasn't worried about his friends.

Sanji and Zoro stared each other down as they walked towards the edge themselves. "You hear that Curly Brow? Don't get yourself killed hunting big game."

"What was that moss head? You're concerned there's something too dangerous out there?" Sanji jabbed back, eyes locked with Zoro's as the two made their way, slowly but angrily, into the forest.

"I swear if either of you two die out there I'll kick your asses!" Nami yelled from the deck. "Morons…. Don't they know how dangerous these dinosaurs must be?!"

* * *

"Woohoo!" Luffy yelled from the top of his recently wrangled triceratops. "Come on Robin! This is awesome!" He said as he 'steered' the beast around her. In actuality, it was merely thrashing about in circles trying to get the stubborn beast off of him.

"I'll pass captain. I don't believe you have the element of surprise riding in on the back of a dinosaur after all." She said as she walked deliberated through the jungle, not worried about the volatile beast, or the dinosaur it was riding. After all, he could put the brakes on it if he wanted.

"But it's so fu- Uuuuun!" Luffy yelled as he was finally swung from the dinosaur and into a tree. He slammed into it with a thud before sliding down. "Ow…." He groaned as he pushed himself up. The large bruise on his back began to heal instantly, but it was still a pain. "Fine. No more riding the dinosaurs… Wanna get one as a pet?!"

Robin cocked her eyebrow at the premise. A pet dinosaur would surely be unique. Especially a cute one like a velociraptor. Her taste in pets may have been a bit different, but she didn't care. She'd name it 'Being of Darkness.' A good name for a pet, or anything for that matter. "I'm not sure we could keep anything here as a pet, Captain Luffy. Feeding them alone would cost a lot of money."

"Aww… But this one looks like it eats the same thing as me!" Luffy said, pointing to the T-Rex that was currently eying them as, well, as Luffy does a nice thing of meat.

Robin cocked her eyes to see and froze for a moment. "You're right. However, that's not a good thing from what Mr. Cook has said. Would you be so willing to give up meat for your new pet?"

"Bah! No way! Don't take my meat stupid baby arms!" Luffy said as he ran at the dinosaur, fists clenched. Willing to fight it bare handed at the premise of losing access to meat.

Robin sighed under her breath as she turned to watch. There wasn't much she could do in terms of aid her captain. He was picking a fight with a T-Rex for crying out loud. She may be able to snap a man in half at the spine from a long distance, but doing the same to a prehistoric killing machine would be much harder. Though just as she cracked a smile at the way Luffy fought the dinosaur, striking it repeatedly in the areas it couldn't functionally reach, she felt a puncture in her back. Her initial, though, Mr. 3 with a wax sword or dagger, somehow sneaking up behind her. But that was quickly brushed off when she didn't hear a comment on how much smarter he was than her. So with a quick cross of her arms, a half dozen more pried off the attacker. A giant mosquito. With a quick pull on each wing, they were off. Followed by the deliberate removal of each leg, the price for its meal was paid. She had beaten the mighty mosquito, which seemed embarrassingly easy once she realized Luffy had brought down the T-Rex without actually ripping its blood out. Just propelling around it and punching. Really. Really. Really Hard. "Are you done, Captain? We still have work to do on this island." Robin said as tried to fight the urge to feel her wound.

"Fiiine. We'll go find this Three guy. I really don't get why they're named after numbers. Numbers aren't cool." Luffy said as he walked with her. He turned his head when he felt something out in the open. "Hey, you're bleeding."

Robin felt the bug bite and looked at her hand. Bleeding all right. "Don't worry about me, Captain. I think I can handle a bug bite."

* * *

A month's worth of reviews… Well, best get started. I'll try something a bit different and sort of, kind of, not really, group them up by subject matter.

Harem, Girls, and Romance in general.

Huntsman8888- Hmm.. I must say I do see it being a fit. Though I have a sinking suspicion he'd be terrified by the premise of her being able to spikify any part of her body at any time.

Camdawg- Well, if it wasn't obvious by my other content, she's my favorite One Piece girl as well. I can say Sadi-chan will be head over spiked dominatrix heels for Luffy, not certain about Domino. Monet would be pretty 'cool' to add to the harem. Haha. Ha… ha… I'm sorry.. I get what you're saying and for the most part agree. Though she is technically not human, (Shirahoshi .) so… Haven't even thought about what long unnecessary complex background I'll give Bonney. And as for the Six Powers thing… She doesn't really need to. Robin is extremely nerfed in the series. Sure in instances like I said, she can't take down a T-Rex, but she can damn well break a grown man's spine with ease. But being able to do thousands of Finger Pistol's would be damn cool, so I'll think on it.

Lightningblade49- Does she want a target on her back, or a knife in her back? She's really just picking the better option out of the two. Though obviously, in joining them so much sooner, (Okay like, three islands but now she has real bonds here!), she'll be having some conflicting thoughts by the time they reach Water 7. Speaking of conflicting thoughts, Tashigi really is going to be weighing a lot of different information by the time they reach Alabasta. Remember, Vivi's a princess seeking refuge with pirates. Wapol's an actual, WG recognized king. These aren't things to stick your nose up at from the point of one marine. Sure, pirate's are still evil. But are these group of friends really harming anyone that doesn't provoke them? Do they not have morals? Are they not people merely setting out for adventure and glory? If you ask Akainu or Akainu in the works, Smoker (Who I assure you in the little sub plot I have going on in my head, is tearing his fucking way through the sea for our raven haired protagonist) no. But Tashigi isn't so full of hates. She's full of justice.

Devlin Dracul- Quite exciting to have her, huh? Yeah, ZoTa is a bigger ship than bloody Thriller Bark. But it could still go either way. Zoro has the bit of a brooding since of purpose, where as Luffy is relatively more care free. (Yeah, he wants to be the Pirate King. But has he once stopped on an island and said 'Let's search for the One Piece?') They are both shockingly more human than just about any marine she would know. And it's just… Difficult. The heart disease thing was simply a reference to my family. Not exactly a good blood line.

Daniel2610994- You're Enel damn right.

Justafan- No worries man. Haha, I'm just a cheeky tease, aren't I? Yeah, Robin's shown up a bit out of the blue and decided, yupp, I'm here now. Bellemere will have to be calmed down, but I'm not too sure that's the way to do it. At least, not until they get some Adam Wood bed frames… Yo ho ho! Bone Joke! Skipping a bit, I'm not too sure about Conis. Just doesn't seem like a good fit. Hina would be a bit more interesting. Hell, he could just try and get all the marine women he could XD. 'Pirate King Luffy. So good it'd turn a marine woman into a pirate.'

Critiques and Suggestions

Z-Breezy- If you mean you hope he doesn't start wearing all black and listening to music in a dark room, nope. If you mean the constant bloodshed, violence, and lack of basic humanity will tear away at his cheery demeanor until he's a hollow shell of a man, probably not. Hell, Luffy's been through some pretty bad stuff, but he's bounced back (Granted he's rubber in canon, but still) I don't like the term emo for it. He won't really be fixed one way. I like to think I've written a Luffy with a bit of emotional range. The typically happy and upbeat nature he's always had is standing strong. He gets sad when sad things happen. He's a violent monster when he's angry. Okay, that last one is a bit different. But he is a blood man. Also, I would like to remind you of the time Gol D. Roger murdered an Entire Country's Army because his crew was insulted.

Maxe03- Softer how, exactly? He buried a man who died protecting his pregnant girlfriend, sure. But he made a man disembowel himself, wiped out half an armada, nearly wiped out an entire village, and ate Arlong while he was still alive. Also, yeah the marines wouldn't exactly report a pirate to be friendly. But he was involved with some gruesome battles. Which is why Robin questions it a bit.

RedHound- Yeah, I considered a couple different options. The Hemo Hemo, Homo Homo was actually a reason it never even made it to a list. The name does fit, but I just picked this one instead.

Squarekiddo- Dealing with all three of these. First off: Not weaker, just a bit restricted. Using his own blood is fine. But dealing with a lot of people is weakening. Kind of a draining effect. Though it does help that getting blood eases the burden. Second Part: Well he did have a lot of ships to deal with. Just a way to show off his raw power. Third Part: You're right. Roger didn't tell the aspiring pirate he was a front runner. During the short amount of time, I wrote them talking. Flashbacks are still a thing, though yeah I admit, he didn't tell him and maybe he would have. Or, maybe he'd let him find out on his own. Just by being a pirate he's a threat. By trying to be the Pirate King, he's a bigger threat. By the time Shanks would hear from him, he'd be on their radar. Shanks told him to not rely on his power. That's the level of cryptic warning you would get from a former Roger Pirate.

Undertheskys- Not really sure what you want from me here. Bellemere being alive at all is weird, yeah. Being in his harem is weirder. But things get a lot weirder. He had his first time with Bellemere instead of Nami because it meant more to her. Bellemere hated Arlong far more than Nami. She was the one who lost someone. So Luffy was her night in shining armor, not Nami's. LuNa is done a lot, so I won't be making a huge deal of it. Not everyone's cup of tea, I understand. But rather than say "Don't Like Don't Read." I'll say, It's a Harem story. He doesn't have a set lover by which to follow. That was stated long before she appeared. And finally, how should I make it better? I asked you this after you initially reviewed, but got no response. I welcome feedback, ideas, and requests. But saying it would be better without any option on the how of that isn't constructive.

Zekedavis- That's about where I was going with it. An incurable illness took someone away from him once. It's why he's so determined. So when Luffy comes in, it'll be a second chance.


	14. Giant Problems! Three Monsters Fight!

Hey, everybody! Ugh, I'm so sorry about the length to produce this chapter. When it rains it pours… I'm not sure of the percentage of people who read this and FFTF but to those of you who do. That story will be updated next. It's been a while, I know. I apologize. The Alternative Devil Fruit kind of took hold as it was unique and not used before (to my knowledge) as an ADF. I can't give an exact time on it, but it will be what I work on next. But enough promoting a different story. Time to promote this one! Over 60,000 views! Thank all of you for your support. Now, enjoy.

* * *

"Damn stupid cook…" Zoro grumbled as he sliced the brush away. He would have been happy to just have gotten out and hunted the stupid lizards on his own. But now it was a competition. He liked it, most of the time, but when curly brow was involved he seethed with rage. There wasn't a chance he'd lose. Not to him. But where the hell were the lizards? The big ones at least. He'd need a giant sized one.

"Fucking mosshead..." Sanji grumbled, kicking the tiny ankle biters around his feet before they could actually bite him. He couldn't find a single large dinosaur to hunt. It was bad enough he'd have to drag it all the way back to the ship, but now he'd have to wrangle up all these small ones first.

* * *

"Ugh… I'm bored!" Alvida complained out loud as she shimmied about on her spot, sliding to ludicrous positions comically. She didn't join this crew just to sit around and do nothing! Wait… why did she join? Oh yeah… She had no crew, Luffy saved her, and was an absolute monster. Oh well, that was no excuse!

"Than why don't you do something productive?!" Bellemere yelled, angry at the lazy woman's complaining. She and Usopp were working on refitting some patchwork done on some damage to the ship's mast.

"That's no work for a woman of my beauty." Alvida said with her incredibly demeaning tone. Believing herself too beautiful to do the actual work required for ship repair. That attitude, needless to say, didn't sit well with Bellemere. Though not because of the laziness…

"Are you suggesting you're more beautiful than I am you bitch?!" Bellemere yelled in anger, charging to the woman and staring her down. For those who looked at her, it would be easy to confuse her with some hell spawn. Her entire face seemed to change appearance from the anger.

"Ha! I'm not suggesting anything, you old war dog. I'm stating it outright. You're not half as beautiful as I am." Alvida stuck her chin up at the veteran marine woman as she ran a hand down, starting at her cheek, showing off her smooth skin.

"I didn't have to eat a damn Devil Fruit to look this good, you former Sea Cow!" Bellemere yelled, remembering her old wanted posters. Her time in the marines kept her checking in on the happenings, and she new Alvida was known to be the ugliest pirate in a sea with a fishman ruling an island. That was hard to do.

Alvida stood her from lounging spot to be on even ground with someone who would dare insult her weight. She wasn't stupid or vain enough to not know she was fat enough, she just wouldn't openly admit it. That being said, she wouldn't let anyone get away with calling the truth! "Oh I'll crush you like a bug you whore!" It was at that moment Alvida realized...she didn't have her mace. So that was an empty threat at least.

"You wanna go you Fucking-" Bellemere stopped when she felt a giant thud rock the ship. It felt like an earthquake that leeched out into the bay. The entire crew turned to see if it had been something from inland. They did not expect it the cause to be so...prevalent.

* * *

"Are we there yet?" Luffy asked for roughly the dozenth time as he swung from the branch, following Robin like a restless chimp.

"I don't know Luffy. You know, you are the one who can sense people. Do you feel anyone around?" Robin in all honestly was doing a blind sweep, save for a few times she would grow some eyes to make sure they weren't completely lost. Her last report was that Mr. Three was stationed on the island, and that information was delayed at best.

"But there's so much around!" Luffy griped at the request. He had to dull his senses to not suffer an overload. A crowd of people was one thing, even a giant amount of people. These things were getting split over by each other every second on the other hand. The ravenous fauna spilled the blood of lesser species with such tenacity that it was like a gladiator arena. But Luffy stuck out his lower lip to pout before starting to focus anyway. He ignored everything smaller than a child and bigger than his grandpa, who was his best from of reference for a huge man. Though Dadan was large… "I think I feel something. That way." Luffy said, leaving Robin to follow him for a change.

She did, though with some annoyance. They had been walking for a good while now and it was so easy for Luffy to find them once he focused. This over irritable nature was obviously due to the aggravating bug bite. It almost burned from itchiness, and she was too restrained to go at it like she wished.

* * *

"AHHHH!" Everyone yelled in fear as the cause of the massive quakes reared its bearded head. A giant man had fallen backwards, or rather been knocked back, and was moving land and forage as his body moved backwards. He finally stopped at the water's edge, traction finally winning that fight.

"Good… Blow old friend." The giant grunted, coughing up blood as he pushed himself off his back. He dug his mighty longsword into the ground to push himself up. "First time one of us landed a blow in too long…" The blow could have been much worse. If it were to have hit a hundred years ago, he'd be bleeding to death. Instead the dull ax had done a different job and broke a few of his ribs with blunt force, as well as dig a few splinters of trusty Elbaf steel into his chest.

"Too long indeed, Dorry." The other giant said as he approached, mouth smiling but voice half-hearted. Something was wrong with his best friend. He was practically limping to the battlefield when it began, and neither had landed a blow in their last fight. But he wouldn't insult him by going easy.

"The god… Must have finally decided." Dorry said as he blinked a few times. His insides were on fire. He had no idea what happened to that meat he was eating. He chopped that long neck up fine. Cooked it as he always did. What the hell would make it explode? He knew Brogy wouldn't have ever done it. He was a true Elbaf warrior. If only he had some more time, he could have found out…

Brogy didn't have a witty comeback like normal. No jolly remark about this not being the last. His friend was struggling to stand. His shield arm was far from sturdy and his sword arm was on the verge of broken. He prayed the god didn't decide others feuds through outside forces like they did his. But if that was the will. "Seems so..." He raised his ax high. Bruiser may not have been in her prime, but if he put his strength behind it, it would put an end to their duel. Dorry didn't look strong enough to block a blow, and certainly wasn't quick enough to dodge it. Just as he prepared to strike, those noises started to make sense.

"Stop! Stop this fighting!" Vivi yelled from the ship. Her bleeding heart knew no limits. She couldn't stand to see senseless violence, and she could see no reason why two friends would try and kill each other.

"Huh?" Brogy asked as he looked up from his friend, trying to find out what made that noise.

This was Dorry's chance. He heaved his leg back and kicked Brogy in the stomach, sending him backwards towards the forest. Injured or not, he was a great warrior with plenty of strength. "Gegya Gegya Gegya. Shouldn't have let your guard down…" Dorry laughed as he held his stomach. Damn stomach…

"Will you stop and talk this out?!" Vivi had leaped off the boat and was running towards the giant now. He was no better than the other one. "Please! This won't solve anything!"

Dorry heard it too now, his mind previously filled with what would have been his last thoughts. "What are you talking about? This is going to solve a hundred year fight!"

* * *

Oh Miss Goldenweek, aren't you excited?" Mr. Three asked his young partner in crime as she painted aimlessly.

Her calm color-traps were around her as a nice protective barrier from any dinosaurs. "Eh." She said, giving all the enthusiasm a girl would at the premise of murder for money.

"Oh come now! This is the very definition of easy money! One kills the other, then we reap the rewards."

"Do you think the boss will be happy with you?" Miss Goldenweek asked, pressing a needle to the balloon that was his plan.

"Eh… Well, he's sure to appreciate his cut of the earnings! But of course, we're doing the hard work so we'll be getting the biggest cut."

"If you say so, the boss won't think I came up with this plan." Miss Goldenweek said out loud, further undercutting her partner.

"From what I can tell, you aren't trying to stop it either." A terrifyingly familiar voice said from the edge of their clearing. Mr. Three had picked it out expecting them to land in it, but it was still a good choice to not be ambushed by a charging dinosaur.

"Ahh!" Mr. Three yelled like a scared little girl, which was embarrassing as Miss Goldenweek had yet to stop painting, at the sound of her voice. He quickly changed his tone however. "Oh, Miss All Sunday. You surprised me..." Mr. Three dreaded this. Miss All Sunday was a deadly and dangerous woman. But she didn't know his new orders, so he had the upper hand… he thought.

"Surprised I stopped by? Don't you know I care about the safety of our employees?" Robin asked as she walked closer, entrusting her own skills for her protection. Well, that and the presence of her new captain.

"Oh of course… But, why wouldn't you simply relay a message through the Unluckies?" Another piece of the puzzle he'd like to clear up. What happened to them?

"Well they're… indisposed." Robin said, burying her smile. That annoying pair was too much trouble to let live. A couple ringed necks and the light of her new crew wasn't snuffed out, yet.

"That's… Unfortunate." Mr. Three said, scanning his surroundings. He'd need to be careful about this. He used all his saved explosives on that damned giant's meat. But he was the king of improvising.

"It is." She said, crossing her arms as she walked, smearing the paint on Miss Goldenweek's color traps while neither watched. "But, it isn't all bad. I made some new friends." The passive route. Not one she was familiar with, but worth a shot. Mr. Three was useful after all. Just arrogant.

"Well, I don't think Mr. Zero would be too happy about that. You know his thoughts on friendship better than anyone." Mr. Three said, walking towards her with his hands just behind his back, already forming some wax.

"I don't think that would upset him. At least, nowhere near as much as hearing that I quit." That was it, if she wanted to end this peacefully, this would decide it.

"Than my orders are clear. You're to be exterminated!" Mr. Three yelled, dashing quickly towards her.

Robin responded in turn, growing hands off his chest and legs so she could-

Mr. Three knew what was coming. The wax he had formed came out hot, hot enough to slather across her arms and burn them enough to stun her. Stun her long enough to attack.

Which would have worked extremely well. He would have stabbed her in the heart and gotten a big promotion! But unfortunately for him, he didn't have a chance. The force that stopped him was like running into a brick wall full speed. His limbs locked up and the air in his lungs was forced out. The look of fear in his eyes did bring some joy to Robin, at least, as she watched the man freeze like he was encased in his own wax.

"Shishishi. You know, yelling before you attack someone is stupid. At least if you're trying to take them by surprise..." Luffy said, coming off of his tree limb and focusing on the weird guy. He was almost totally entranced by his hair. Wasn't it dangerous to light it on fire? Ace once lost his eyebrows over something similar. He had a bad habit of playing with fire.

"M-miss. Goldenweek. Help." Mr. Three fought to choke out, hoping her color-traps would free him from the agonizing prison. His entire body was on fire, it felt like fire ants were in his veins!

"Stop it! That's not fair!" The young girl yelled as the flowered arms tickled her relentlessly, rendering her about as useful in the fight as a sack of grain.

"Mr. Three, if you'd stop being a sheep for a moment, I'd like to offer you a proposal." Robin said, centering her attention on him now, while still 'incapacitating' Miss Goldenweek.

"You can't be serious… The boss would kill you in a- Ahhh!" Mr. Three screamed in pain just as Robin was about to do something in retaliation. "Make it stop! Make it stop!"

Luffy smiled a bit more as he walked closer, one of his fingers moving up and around in a jagged manner. Inside one of Mr. Three's arms, his blood was tearing apart his insides like a saw blade. Yet not a drop of blood escaped. "I don't like it when people threaten my friends." Luffy said, focusing on the man. His heart pumped a bit faster.

Robin shot a quick look at her captain. She couldn't see what he was doing, but it had to be terribly painful. Sure, Three wasn't particularly tough, but Luffy wasn't particularly gentle either. "To the point. This can end one of two ways for you. My captain can continue to do...whatever it is he's doing to you, until you beg for death. Or, you can agree to help us and live as a result."

"Of course! Just stop!" All of his training, his confidence, were being eroded by the razor storm inside his arm. He didn't know what power his yet unseen assailant had, but it was agonizing.

Luffy smiled as he eased up, eyes turning red. He didn't notice the change, but he was especially violent after the infusion of some spilled T-Rex blood. The fact that he still had some humanity was what was keeping him from hunting the hair burning lunatic for a quick snack.

"Good." Robin said, easing up on the tickling as well, certain the little accomplice had gotten the warning as well. "You didn't have much of a choice anyway. Crocodile's wanted you dead for quite some time, and your usefulness was about to run out."

Under other circumstances, Mr. Three would have rebutted and argued that his intelligence was a vital asset to the Boss. But he couldn't care less about that with how much pain he was in. "Than what do you want from me?"

"Your help would be appreciated. I think in return we could agree that Luffy here won't feast on your still beating heart." Robin said, using her morbid humor as a threat, unaware of how true it was to the Carnivorous Captain pinning him. "Captain, would you kindly let him go?"

Luffy growled in a low tone and released his hold on the weird guy. He liked the sound of eating a still beating heart. It would be like...there was nothing to compare it to. Luffy clenched his fists as he waited, growing ever more impatient as he felt a need to eat. "Can we go now? I'm Hungry." Luffy complained, staring at Mr. Three like a juicy stake as he said he was hungry.

"Can I at least collect the bounty we came after? We'll split it of course..." Mr. Three didn't like the prospect of splitting it, especially not with strangers. But, it just may keep him from being eaten.

"How generous of you, but we'll only do it if we have time. Luffy, let's-" Luffy was already heading towards the nearest and biggest blood sac before she could finish. Robin responded by following calmly. Neither of those two would attack her. Mr. Three was too smart and Miss Goldenweek posed no threat to her.

* * *

Dorry took a defensive position as Brogy stood back up. He didn't have the strength to go on the offense, but he wasn't going to lay there and die. No true Elbaf warrior would!

"A smooth faced mistake…" Brogy said as he stood back up, popping his neck. "Think we've gotten rusty in our isolation, old friend! Haven't fought anyone with a different style!" Brogy was actually happy to have been kicked. His friend had to have some strength in him. Maybe he'd survive. After all, he was no doctor.

"You may have… I'm in my prime!" Dorry coughed a bit of blood into his hand from his injured intestines. At the current moment in time, he was not in his prime.

"GabaGabaGaba! That's the answer I expected!" Brogy laughed as his spirits bolstered.

Vivi wanted to yell in protest again. To stop this senseless violence, but she was dragged back by several members of the crew for her own safety, as well as had her mouth covered. They weren't about to interfere with, or anger, the giant warriors. In fact, Usopp seemed infatuated with them, albeit from a hidden position in case they decided to start eating people.

"This will be the time! Let's settle this!" Brogy yelled, preparing to charge. He was more confident in his friend's state now, if slightly. The bottom line was, he had to hope for the best and fight like he normally did.

Dorry smiled as he raised his sword. This would certainly be the time. It would be settled. Brogy closed and he heaved down, only to find that Brogy wasn't there. He was...falling?

Indeed, Brogy was crashing to the ground instead of delivering a blow. His breath was knocked plum out of him by whatever had crashed into his side. It felt like a thumb digging into his ribs, if said thumb had the force of his hardest punch.

This was made possible to on extremely determined young man fueled with the hunting instincts of a great prehistoric predator. He had launched up the second he got close enough to see the towering blood column, with enough force to appear a blur to the three following him. He quickly transferred enough blood to his arms to swell them out to ludicrously large proportions. The result was a double barreled punch with enough power to knock a giant in his prime off his feet and undoubtedly shatter a rib or two in the process.

"You two! Ship now!" Robin ordered, sending the two temporary allies to the ship while she tried to deal with what Luffy had just done. What the hell had gotten into him?

"Meat!" Luffy yelled as he fell down towards the crashed giant. His eyes were red with blood and he couldn't wait to dig into his meal.

However, he'd have to wait. Just as he was about to dig in a literal giant hand grabbed him and squeezed. He aimed to crush whatever it was that had just attacked his friend, and interfered with their battle. Dorry gave it a moment, then opened his hand to look. Nothing but a bit of blood on his palm from where he crushed the pest. At least at first…

Luffy reformed once the hand opened. Some of the blood had already soaked into the giant, and would be useless. But he got his back, which is what mattered. "Hey you jerk! That hurt!" Luffy yelled, dazed and angry. He just had his entire body crushed, so he wasn't feeling that great. With the quick expelling of all that primordial T-Rex blood, he wasn't thinking too well either.

"You attacked my friend! You sabotaged our fight! You've made a dire mistake doubting the power of an Elbaf Warrior!" Dorry didn't understand how the tiny human did it, but he booby trapped his food then mustered up the power to attack his friend directly. Though it wasn't really Elbaf custom to understand it anyway. He formed a fist and punched the palm of his other hand in the hopes of crushing the damned human.

* * *

"M-Miss All Sunday, is it really necessary that we bring that monster with us? If we leave now we could-"

"Call me Robin. I'm no longer Miss All Sunday. Now, are you trying to talk me into leaving behind the only reason you're still alive?" Robin asked, running with the other two towards where the ship was moored. None of them had the power to take on a giant in direct combat. She'd have to secure these two with the crew and see what she could do to aid Luffy with her power.

"What do you mean 'Reason I'm Alive'?! He tried to kill me!" Mr. Three yelled, in disbelief that the monster was keeping him alive.

"But if we hadn't come along, you'd be dead." Robin said, slowing down her pace as she approached the ship. "Go up there, slowly, and make yourself known. Wouldn't want all that time to be wasted by a swordsman with a quick draw."

Mr. Three gulped and climbed up the side slowly, yelling out that he was friendly and to not kill him. Robin lifted Miss Goldenweek up through flowering arms, since she wasn't big enough to scale the ship on her own, especially with her paint supplies.

"Robin! Luffy! Get on quick!" Nami yelled, expecting both of them to be climbing up behind those two. "There's some monster giants on this island, we need to go now!…. Luffy? Robin?" The barked order turned into a question of presence as silence was the only response.

Zoro and Sanji checked over the edge together, both examining their catches together anyway. After the peek Zoro responded swiftly, pressing Yubashiri to the stranger's throat. "Where are they, freak?!"

Mr. Three gulped and raised his hands, palms out. "I don't know! M-Miss… Robin! Robin told us to come up here! I don't know where she went!" After the encounter with their captain, Mr. Three didn't want to risk whatever this crew could do.

"Is that true?" Sanji asked the little girl that came up. No way he would let Zoro's method of questioning apply to this little girl.

Miss Goldenweek nodded and set up her tea set.

"Well, they couldn't have gotten far then… Luffy better not let the beautiful Robin get hurt!" Sanji yelled, running to jump off the ship and assist them as needed.

Bellemere threw her arm out and close lined the blonde cook, causing him to fall to the ground. "What the hell do you think you can do? Kick the giant's toe till he surrenders?! You'd be killed!"

Sanji rubbed his head as he climbed up. "But sweet Bell, I can't just let a woman run into that danger alone!" Sanji yelled, swooning and defending his actions at the same time.

"Well, you're not going alone. Zoro! Make sure this love sick moron doesn't get killed." Bellemere said, going to grab her rifle.

Zoro grumbled and followed the order. It was apparent where Nami got her mean attitude… He and Sanji went towards the rumbling on the island in search of the missing crew member.

"Luffy better not let her get hurt," Sanji said angrily, running as fast as he could manage.

Zoro ran just behind him, two swords drawn and held back in case he needed to attack right away. "It's Luffy. He'd get crushed into a bloody pulp before letting us get hurt."

* * *

Dorry's giant fist crashed into the palm of his hand where the human was crushed to nothing more than a bloody pulp. If simply crushing him wouldn't work, he'd flatten him.

Robin arrived just as the fist connected. When blood oozed from around the giant's fist, she feared the worst. "Captain Luffy!" She yelled in fear, her life and future now doomed.

The giant Dorry turned his head to look at the sight of the noise. He saw a lone human standing there, looking up and yelling. "That was your captain? So you did this too!" Dorry raised his foot, ready to stomp her and whoever else allied themselves with that human.

Robin stared motionless at the giant foot barreling down on her. What point was there to try and dodge? Her life was as good as over anyway. Her one chance at salvation was just crushed, Crocodile would certainly have her killed, she hadn't realized her dream. Nothing was left but death.

Death, and an angry Captain. Luffy formed atop the giant's hand and yelled like an angry beast "Don't you hurt my friends!" as he seized up the giant's entire leg.

"What the hell? Let me go dammit!" Dorry yelled in anger. He couldn't move his leg!

"I won't let you hurt her!" Luffy yelled, responding to the giant. "Robin! Run!" He ordered her, hoping to get her out of harm's way.

Robin was still motionless, this time out of shock. That foot was roughly the size of their entire ship, the leg it was attached to the size of a multistory building, and it was stopped against the will of the giant. She didn't get much longer to stare however, as Zoro and Sanji pulled her away from the scene and began to run with her back to the ship. Sanji, thankfully, was leading the way.

"Dammit! I knew Luffy would let you get hurt! The next time I see him I'll-"Sanji's threat was cut off when Robin forced herself out of his arms.

"I can walk, thank you," Robin said, chest heaving from her panic. She would not be carried by him for various reasons. The risk of catching whatever diseases he may be carrying for one, threatening Luffy for another.

"Good. Let's go. Luffy can slip away and come to the ship." Zoro said, offering a non-angry voice to the fray to get them all to move along.

* * *

Luffy let the giant's leg go after his friends were a safe distance away. "You tried to hurt my friends! I'll kill you!" Luffy yelled, seething with rage.

"You dense fool! You attacked first! I'll make you pay for that!" Dorry couldn't believe this hypocritical nonsense.

"I didn't attack you I attacked-" The gears turned in Luffy's head. He remembered attacking something big, very big. But getting the life literally squeezed out of him in the giant's palm made that a bit blurry. He realized now, he must have a friend. "Oh dammit! Is your friend okay?!" Luffy asked, running along his arm and in the direction of the destroyed trees, where he assumed the giant had landed. "Giant guy! Are you dead?!"

Brogy blinked as he awoke. Damn, that hurt. He hadn't been dealt a blow like that in a hundred years. He reached over to feel the damage. The actual point of impact was almost too small to find, but it was tender as veal. He coughed up some blood and stood. He didn't know what or who did that, but he had to give them credit, that was a powerful blow. "Not dead."

"Phew… That was a close o-" Luffy was cut off by another slam down on his hand from an angry giant. At this point it was just annoying…

"Don't act like you care!" Dorry yelled angrily, seething from the human's damn gall.

Luffy oozed out from around the hand once again, visibly upset. "Dammit! Let me talk! I didn't know you guys were… What's the word… People! I thought you were monsters!"

Dorry was still foaming with anger, but if he couldn't crush him there would be no point in continuing. Maybe he could throw him in the sea? "What of your sabotage? A hundred years of fighting that you tried to desecrate!"

Luffy looked genuinely confused for a moment, then furrowed his brow in anger. "I know who did that. But it wasn't my friend, who you tried to kill!" Luffy was now in a shouting contest with someone who could crush him in the palm of his hand.

Brogy walked over to his friend and the tiny thing he was yelling at. From what he inferred, that was what had just hit him so hard he remembered his youth. He reached over and grabbed it, smiling real big. "Are you the one who did this?" He pointed to his side, where he was hit.

"I am." Luffy said, gripping his fists. "Look I didn't mean t-" Luffy was cut off again, though this time by a loud laugh.

"GabaGabaGaba! You hit like a damned giant yourself, human. Ever heard of Elbaf?" Brogy could sense something in the boy Dorry was overlooking. If the boy had really sabotaged his friend, he would have attacked Dorry while he was still injured instead of waiting till he was getting better then switching to him.

"Who's that?" Luffy asked, cocking his head, hat still hanging from his neck. It was a miracle the relic was still intact. If it didn't turn to blood with Luffy, a lot of people would be dead from the rage he'd unleash.

"Who?! Boy you really don't know Elbaf!" Brogy started walking with the human, away from Dorry, towards where he had heard the humans from earlier. "Elbaf is the land of the Giants! A race of proud warriors!" The giant quickly made it to the ship. So quickly that they were hearing most of the conversation.

"That place sounds so cool!" Luffy said, wide-eyed at the concept. An entire island, likely equally giant in size, filled with guys like these. Hopefully they weren't so quick to smash him…

"I'm Brogy. My friend is Dorry. We've been battling on this island for the past hundred years." Brogy said, now introducing himself to the crew awaiting the both of them as he set the young man down.

"I'm Luffy! These are my friends and crew members." Luffy said, introducing himself and his crew as they made themselves apparent.

"Luffy..." Brogy started to think for a moment, when it hit him. Some bounty posters from the last people that were on the island had one with that name. Brogy and Dorry both liked to keep tabs anyway they could on the world outside the island, for when the victor left to rejoin the world. He found the one he remembered. The smiling young man with the high bounty caught his eye. "Ahh! There you are! Sixty Million to start!" The number was enough to impress Brogy. He took great pride in his Hundred Million bounty from a hundred years ago. Humans with similar bounties had to be extremely deadly.

"Shishishi. To start is right! I'm going to make it much higher!" Luffy declared proudly, liking this Giant.

"That's the spirit!" Brogy boasted with a laugh, in high spirits. The attack from that boy had lit the fire in his heart again. He and his friend were on the same level again injury wise. The scales were no longer unbalanced. "Now. Who hurt my friend?" Brogy's tone changed quickly. He liked this human, no doubt about it. But if he was the one who interfered, he'd be a much different giant.

"Hey! Candle guy!" Luffy yelled, scanning for a scrawny guy on the ship. First, he found Usopp, but then he found the guy he knew was behind it. Robin forced him out from his hiding spot with her powers.

Mr. Three stared up in horror at the Giant. He wasn't the one he boobytrapped, which meant he was in better, tougher shape. That, coupled with the fact that there was no element of surprise, meant he was as good as dead.

Brogy looked at the man, then at the captain of the pirates. "Is he a member of your crew?" If he was, what he was about to do would not go over well.

Just as Luffy was about to yell, Robin stepped forward. She didn't brave that jungle and get that nasty mosquito bite to have him be killed. "He is a captive who was acting under the orders of a man we seek to kill. We need him to do it." The latter part was a lie. She needed him about as much as Bellemere needed shouting lessons. But he was useful.

Brogy gritted his teeth. That put him in an awkward position. They weren't allied with him, they needed him. "Will you make him pay for his cowardice?" Brogy asked the woman who stood up to him and the captain he had met.

"Shishishi." Luffy laughed and smiled up at the pirate. "You bet giant guy!" Luffy yelled, sending a chill down Mr. Three's spine.

Brogy stood up straight and smiled. "Good. Dorry!" Brogy yelled for his friend, who was trying his hardest not to murder all of them.

"Dorry you better not say-"

"These guys are alright!" Brogy cut him off to the annoyance of his friend. "They weren't responsible for it, and are going to find him while we continue our duel!"

Dorry stomped over. "You trust them?" Dorry was skeptical to say the least. He had no pleasant interaction with these humans as of it.

"As much as I should. Besides, they're making them stronger now! That pipsqueak floored me in one hit!" Brogy wasn't ashamed of it. It was proof of the human's strength, not his weakness.

Dorry looked at Brogy now, redirecting some anger. "Are you saying we couldn't beat that puny human?!"

"I'm saying you sure as hell couldn't!" Brogy responded, staring down his friend.

"I'll fight you both right now!" Luffy yelled in response, gaining the attention of both the giants.

"GabaGabaGaba!" "Shishishi!" "GegyaGegyaGegya!" The three pirates shared a hearty laugh. They all thought it was a hilarious moment.

"You know, human. I think I did misjudge you." Dorry said, wiping away the tear from laughter. "You have the heart of a giant!"

"Now you see it! Luffy, if you ever make your way to Elbaf, mention us! They shall welcome you in with open arms!" Brogy said, smiling wide.

"Shishishi! If everyone there's as awesome as you two, I'd love to go there!" Luffy yelled, picturing the day where he'd find the land of giants. (Whenever that day may be…)

Usopp finally spoke up. He'd need to say something to retain an ounce of pride after all. "Wait… There's an island full of warriors like you two?!" Usopp was equal parts terrified and awe inspired by that fact.

Dorry and Brogy both looked at the extremely tiny human, then, they started to laugh. "The mightiest warriors of the sea hail from Elbaf!"

"Than I want to go there too! To become a great war-" Usopp's proud declaration was cut off by a still angry princess.

"Why are you two so friendly if you're enemies?!" Vivi had held her tongue for the safety of the crew providing her escort, but no longer.

"Enemies?" The two looked at each other then back at the blue-haired woman. "We are best friends! But this is about more than friendship! The god of Elbaf shall decide who is right by declaring a winner to our battle!"

"But what are you fighting about?! What could be so serious as to kill each other?!" Vivi was outraged by this new knowledge. They weren't even enemies! These were two friends prepared to kill each other.

The giants looked at each other once more, both trying to remember what it was that got them there. It had been a hundred years. Despite the extended lifespan of a giant compared to a human, that doesn't mean they retain information equally. That past hundred years was roughly a third of their lives, and was still a whopping century of fighting. "I don't remember." "Neither do I. It has been a hundred years…" Most everyone was shocked, and wanted to inquire further about what exactly they meant. "But you do not understand tiny blue haired girl!"

Usopp spoke up, against a giant no less. "This is no longer about what started it! This is about their honor as warriors!"

"The tiny one understands! We no longer care what started this duel! We only care who wins!" The two yelled back to back, making Usopp swell with admiration.

Vivi wasn't as happy with this answer, but she knew these two were too stubborn to budge. "Well… I hope you find a peaceful way of settling it. You both seem like good people."

The giants laughed and repaid the compliment in kind. "You're as well mannered as royalty human! I hope your year here is a good one!"

Before anyone could yell in shock, Robin cut them off. "We won't have to stay here that long. I have my eternal pose to Alabasta, as well as the one meant for Mr. Three."

Everyone sighed in relief with the new knowledge that they wouldn't stay on this death trap for any longer than absolutely necessary.

"If that's the case, so long humans!" Brogy yelled, smiling wide at the new friends he made. Dorry smiled too. "Sorry I was wrong human. You seem like a good warrior."

"Shishishi. Could kick your ass..." Luffy smirked, causing the giant to stare at him. He fell over laughing when the giant started to get angry. "You should see your face!"

Brogy started to laugh as well. Dorry's face was hilarious! "I really like this human! I hope the Island Eater doesn't swallow you whole, Luffy!"

While some of the crew wanted to question what on the god of Elbaf's world was an Island Eater, but decided it was best to get a move on before Luffy started a fight with the long bearded giant. "Come on guys! To Alablast!"

"Alabasta Luffy." Vivi corrected, hoping it was a simple mistake on the captain's part.

"That's what I said! To Allbass!" Luffy yelled again, poking some fun at the royalty on his ship.

* * *

Brogy and Dorry stood on the edge of the island, waving goodbye to their new friends. (They really didn't meet enough people to be picky, but those humans seemed nice.) Just as they started to turn around, they saw what they were afraid to show up.

"Ahh! Giant Goldfish!" Luffy yelled, looking up at the red and white creature that greatly dwarfed its carnival prize cousins. It had a giant maw of razor sharp teeth, each one much bigger than a ship. It was a rival for Laboon in size, and seemed much more intent on eating them.

Dorry and Brogy stared, wide eyed at the goldfish. They needed to help those humans! With a quick look, they decided without a word what to do…

But, it didn't matter. Luffy was on the case. The merry was eaten for the second time since they got in the Grand Line. It was annoying. Luffy knew they wouldn't be able to fight their way out. It would be pointless with its enormous size. Instead, he had to do something draining. Very, very draining.

The one weakness of the Island Eater was an unavoidable one. It was a living creature. Luffy locked onto a large artery running along the ceiling, which would be the fish's spine, and started to carve it upwards. Once he bore a hole through the creature, he began slicing it down the middle. After an extremely taxing amount of blood used as a giant saw, the fish was dead. Dead and bisected from the inside. The corpse slowly sank as the Merry kept sailing. The gaping hole let them slip right through unharmed. Luffy fell to the floor, panting. Ten years of blood manipulation, at least on a small scale, was nothing compared to that. He was moving blood in amounts of rivers. But he made himself look badass, and that's what counts.

The two giants stared in aww as Island Eater started to sink. It would've taken their strongest attack to do what one human did. (They didn't know for a fact just the captain did, they just knew it was true) Maybe since they'd been gone there was an entirely new race similar to humans with the strength of giants?

Everyone on the ship looked around in astonishment themselves. If Vivi had a single doubt about who was in charge, it was gone. If Mr. Three had any wild ideas about sneaking his way to freedom, they were dashed against the stones. The captain of this ship could literally tear Sea Kings in half. Ms. Goldenweek was more or less disinterested. The blood would make for some interesting red paint, however.

Some time, and meat, later, Luffy was feeling better. Not rip apart another Sea King apart better, but better. The same could not be said for their newest crew member. Robin was starting to feel hot. She was sweating in her chair and feeling weak. Luffy noticed she wasn't reading her book, and went to check on her. "Oi! Robin! What's wrong? Are you hungry?"

Robin looked at her new captain, concern in her eyes. "Captain. I don't. Feel..." Robin finally slipped off to sleep, like her body was trying to get her to for the past hour.

Luffy waited a moment, tapping on her shoulder and trying to wake her up before yelling "Kaya! Come here, quick!"

Of course Kaya rushed to help, as well as the rest of the ship at such a dire request. Luffy solved injuries with meat, not medicine. If he needed a doctor, things were bad. Then they saw that he wasn't the one needing her. Robin had fainted in her chair, and it wasn't from what the other people on board would pass out from. Not a sake bottle in sight.

"She's running a fever. We need to get her to bed, now!" Kaya was taking on some of Nami's qualities. When she needed them, anyway. Sanji and Usopp carried Robin carefully to the women's bedroom for Kaya to more properly examine.

Everyone was deeply concerned, save one red haired marine woman...and Luffy. Luffy transformed what would be fear of losing a friend into anger. Anger at the only person who would be responsible.

Poor Mr. Three, Galdino as they had learned, stood no chance against a truly angry Luffy. He tried to hide the second he heard his name shouted angrily, but Luffy was a master of hide and seek. Luffy didn't even bother going in the room he was hiding in. A fist went through the wooden wall and grabbed him by the throat, before pulling him through it. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER YOU BASTARD!" Luffy yelled in a deep rage. His eyes were abyssal red, and locked on Galdino's.

"I. Didn't. Do. Anything." Galdino struggled to defend, coughing out as the life was literally choked out of him. He could feel the tiny blood vessels in his eyes pop from the pressure.

"LIAR!" Luffy yelled, squeezing harder. He would have torn his head off, but he may know how to save her.

"Not. About. This. You'd. Kill. Me. If. I. Hurt. Anyone." Galdino was more than right about that. He was being blamed for, unknown to him, was nature's work. His plans of trying something like that were quashed upon seeing him rip apart a Sea King.

Luffy stared angrily. He had little reason to trust, and much more reason to doubt, anything he said. But he had a point. He'd be the first to blame for anything like this. He would have a backup plan, or would have gone after all of them. "Where can I get her help?" Luffy asked as he let go, letting the man drop down and regain his precious oxygen.

Galdino could hardly believe he was still alive. He really didn't do anything to Miss All Sunday, but that didn't mean the boy would believe him. "The nearest island! Great doctors! Drum Kingdom!"

* * *

This may not be the best chapter, but I hope it finished strong enough. Little Garden is kind of awkward to write when you take away the threat of Mr. 3's power. Yes Mr. 5 was responsible for bombing him first (possibly with pee in the ale), but Galdino is the master of improvising. He had some explosives on him and slipped them into some of the Giant's meat. Which, let's be honest, could hold a nuke without being obvious. But to the responses!

The Keeper of Worlds- Hello! Yes, I believe you did. Sanji respects all women, just in a mostly perverted week. He'll be protective of Miss Goldenweek (Who I would like to hear name suggestions for along with Miss Valentine) in further chapters. I haven't abandoned Sanji being a bomb-man. You are right. Diable Jambe Flambe would be extremely powerful with the Bomu Bomu no Mi (Effectively the Diable Jambe Flambe Grenadé) Luffy just doesn't want to have a ton of TNT hitting him in the face any time he upsets Sanji. Don't worry, he's still in the running for it. But Usopp could suck on a pea and have a viable explosive shot, so he's in the running as well.

Tombs456- I'm not entirely certain about creating a whole new members of CP9, an organization that has been infiltrating Water 7 for years. What I may do to counter it is something that would really be a no brainer. Haki. I was kind of disappointed to see Haki used so shortly after the Water 7 arc with no reference to a monster like Lucci having access. So, rather than creating a new character, expect the current ones to have a Haki boost. As for a pet, I've considered it. Obviously not a dinosaur, but they'd need something that would be able to withstand all climates rather evenly. If anyone would like to give suggestions, I'm all ears.

Huntsman8888- "Beware of Monkey D. Luffy, most charismatic pirate in the Grand Line"

The God Fist- I can't say anything on Vivi's position as of yet. I believe she truly wished to go with them, but she does want to remain with her country. She may end up being like Nojiko. Though we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Shinjojin- I like the idea of Robin, along with other members, learning the Six Powers. But for that to happen, they would need to "recruit" a member. I wonder who Luffy would want to join…

FanFictionHunter- I. Love. That. Moniker. Unfortunately, I already have an idea for what fruit to give her. Mum's the word, but she wouldn't get it for a good long while. I write these as they come to mind, so I can't promise too much for that plan staying the same. Usopp and Sanji are in the lead for most likely, Bell next.

Mkaius- Robin will certainly have learned a thing or two, and defeating Crocodile will be a tying bond with the crew. Not sure I can promise Luffy wiping them off the map in a single chapter, but no BS one hit K.O. on the part of CP9, I promise you that.

Devlin Dracul- Whaaaa? I made it easy to ship my OTP? That was unintentional! But seriously, yeah. Sue me. LuRo is my favorite pairing and an underused one. It will definitely happen. Robin works as the brains and as a dial down to Luffy's violence, while embracing his cruelty unlike the rest of the crew. Don't worry, that Mosquito was also diagnosed with Mosquito Cancer, found out its Mosquito Wife was having an affair, and that his Mosquito Son was going to Mosquito Clown College. He didn't get off easily.

Trebeh- That's a good question. The powers do not transfer. In fact, Luffy gets a bit weaker when drinking DF user blood. The blood of a Logia such as Ace or Akainu, however, would have boiling blood as just a part of their anatomy. Luffy can grown in size. It's, theoretically, possible for him to reach Elbaf Warrior size. But that amount would be found at Warzones almost exclusively. I will mention that there is a sea of blood at Impel Down with Luffy's name on it. Luffy could get "big enough" to be romantically involved, sure. I don't know want ground I've been breaking as a writer, but I'm not certain yet if I'll be knocking down that wall. The first one is too far off to say I won't, but don't expect to read a lemon about it.

The Sinful- You know she can do push-ups, I know she can do push-ups, She knows she can do push-ups. She doesn't want to. Alvida believes she's above that as a extremely strong ex-captain. She'll get a reality check and learn though.


	15. A Mountain of Problems! Meeting the King

Hello everyone! Sorry about such a long wait. I know I apologize every time, but I mean it. Rather than give excuses, I would just like to thank you all for your support. The reviews, favorites, follows, all of it. I never thought I'd have a story get this popular. But you guys (and gals, don't get triggered) have made it possible. Thank you. A big thanks as well to Devlin Dracul for their Beta Reading. But enough of this mushy stuff. Onto the story!

* * *

Luffy memorized the name quickly. As, after his head was forcefully shoved through a different location in the wall, Galdino was in no condition to repeat it for their use. Luffy, in short, was furious.

"Nami!" He yelled out, more assertive than he usually was. A more authoritarian side showing now that there was real danger. "We need to get to Drum Kingdom!" He knew the log pose wouldn't tell them the name of the island, but they'd still need to know it before they got there.

Nami, who was on the opposite end of the ship behind two doors and multiple structures, heard Luffy loud and clear. She assured Kaya she could handle it while she rushed to get things settled outside of the makeshift infirmary. The log pose was checked against the eternal pose, orders were barked, and the heading was changed. Luffy stood atop the Lamb Head, staring ahead like the angriest figure head imaginable.

* * *

Meanwhile, the crew started to talk. In small groups. Igaram, Miss Monday, and Vivi were one of them.

"Igaram I know you aren't happy with this, but we can't ask them to let her die for us." Vivi said, fear in her voice. Every second they waited was another Crocodile could use to destroy her country. But that wasn't everything. She was level-headed enough to know that.

"Princess, please. At least let me ask the Captain. We have doctor's in the capital, I'm sure they could say this...woman, without issue." Igaram insisted on continuing there trip. It would be risky, but they didn't have another choice in his mind. It was a woman versus a nation, and that just wasn't a tough decision.

"Do you think he's in a listening mood?" Miss Monday asked as Mr. Three was pulled from the wall. Miraculously, he survived. The man had some uncanny luck, ignoring the whole getting extremely injured in the process thing.

Igaram immediately shut up at the sight of as high ranked as Mr. Three being carried away from what he heard to be the captain's raw strength, rather than any power. "You may be right. We don't have another choice..."

* * *

"So… Think she'll die?" Alvida asked the group, which consisted of herself, Gin, and Zoro. It was rather obvious subtlety wasn't her forte.

"There's no telling…" Gin said, rather stoically. He hadn't had time to even speak to this new crew member, so he didn't have a strong feeling about the situation. Other than he wouldn't like to lose a crew member.

"She won't die," Zoro said confidently as he sharpened his swords. He didn't explain his reasoning further, as neither of them asked how he was sure, but he was. Luffy wouldn't let them die.

"Well that candle haired freak better not have lied." Alvida said, leaning back to relax. She noted the hole in the wall stained on the edges with blood. "If he values his life..."

* * *

Nami had swung by to assist Kaya. She was improving at an accelerated rate than when she was stuck back at home, but she was completely unable to treat this primeval disease. She could only hope to treat it like a normal sickness and hope that her natural immune system fought it off well enough.

"Robin. Rest. You need your strength to fight this. We'll get someone with a cure." Kaya assured her, hoping it would get her to finally go back to sleep after fainting.

"Crocodile. The Poneglyph..." Robin's mind was at minimum capacity. The things that were taking up most importance were being said as ramblings. "History… Lost." Robin finally slid back to sleep, though not by choice. She wanted them to get to Alabasta as soon as possible. She needed to read the Poneglyph. If it was the one she was after, her dream would be realized. But it was no use. Her life meant more to them than history.

"She's not doing well. We need to get to that island, fast." Kaya said, urging Nami to go as fast as possible towards their new destination for the sake of her patient.

* * *

Below deck, Sanji, Tashigi, and Miss Goldenweek, who they found out to be Catherine, were seeing to Miss Valentine's Day. She was still in lockup, but wasn't bound anymore. Miss Goldenweek was deemed harmless, and Tashigi was relying on them to be returned.

"Oh Miss Love! I've brought you a meal!" Sanji called, carrying the gorgeous woman some tea, a salad, and some cake. Even if he was greatly concerned about Robin's health, he couldn't forget the other women aboard.

Valentine wasn't happy to be a prisoner, especially considering her previous position as a well off assassin, but at least she wasn't being tortured. Though being in the perverted cook's presence for too long could be considered as such… "Thanks… Is that chocolate cake?" She asked, looking at the slice given to her.

"Is it too rich? I wouldn't want to damage your figure!" Sanji yelled, worried about how the captive may look after a single slice of cake.

"No. I love chocolate." Valentine said before taking a bite of the cake first. It had been so long since she had any… "Bleh!" She spit out the cake and wiped her tongue with the napkin. "That's terrible!"

Sanji looked like he had just been shot in the chest. To have Zeff insult his food was one thing. That old bastard just did it to piss him off. But this was a beautiful woman! He nearly fainted.

Catherine looked up at the pained man and shrugged. "I liked it..." She said, partly to cheer him up. Though it was the truth. With a nice cup of tea, it would perfect.

"Well you don't know chocolate!" Miss Valentine would have been shocked at the presence of Miss Goldenweek if Mr. Five wasn't killed in front of her by a monster who was in charge of Miss All Sunday. But that aside, she wasn't scared of the little girl, and there was no way she knew chocolate if she thought that cake was good.

Tashigi watched Sanji fall to the ground, gripping his chest as if he had a heart attack. Under normal circumstances she would have yelled for help. But, she learned that the cook was overly dramatic around women. "So, you know chocolate?" Tashigi asked the woman who had just killed the cook, with her words.

"Yes." Miss Valentine said as she began eating the salad. She pushed the plate the cake was on towards Miss Goldenweek, along with the tea. "I wanted to be a chocolatier. It's the best sweet in the world, and he gave me some oily cheap stuff." Miss Valentine said, obviously offended by the act.

Tashigi looked surprised anyone could insult the master chef's cooking. Being a woman, she had gotten the best the blonde had to offer. If she could swallow the heavy coating of flattery the cooking was five star. "Well considering their last stop for supplies was Logue Town, I'm not surprised. Not exactly a lot of cocoa."

"You poor people." Miss Valentine said, genuinely said for the lives lived without fine chocolates. "If that monster lets me show this stain on the chocolate arts how to make some, I'd like to treat you to real chocolate cake." She said with a smile, trying to make friends. Her career as an assassin was dead as her old partner, and as she would be if she didn't try to leave it behind.

Tashigi smiled and nodded in agreement before dragging the heartbroken cook up the stairs. Miss Goldenweek sipped her tea as she followed, enjoying it immensely. Though you couldn't tell by the look on her face.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the island that is known as the Drum Kingdom…

"Beh! Those houses tasted awful!" Wapol complained as he wiped his tongue with snow.

"The residents were still in the last one, your highness." Chess said, looking over what Wapol had eaten for the day. No meat that would explain the blood from earlier.

"Well… New law! Anyone still in my food becomes my food!" Wapol yelled his decree, meaning it was now a law.

"Right away, sir." The angry uttering of the King was quickly made law through an advanced process called dictatorship.

"How much longer?" Wapol asked like a child on a boat trip. Wanting to know how much longer to climb his own mountain.

"It shouldn't be much longer, your highness. We'll get to work on the cables right away so this won't be a problem anymore, once we get up there."

"Good. I want to get settled back in. Chess! Go ahead and add snow birds, I'm sure the castle is crawling with those things and they're great baked."

"Right away, sir."

* * *

"Captain! Island!" Usopp called from the Crow's Nest, alerting the entire ship to the sighting.

Ahead was the Island that would save the lives of both Robin and Galdino. It was rather large, with several giant towers that certainly gave it the name Drum Island. The air had a massive temperature drop as they got closer, and snow was quickly falling on the ship. Most everyone went to change into winter gear once they saw the snow fall, save for Zoro who wanted to do some endurance training and Luffy who could care less about the temperature bottoming out. Though that wouldn't last too long.

Much like Whiskey Peak before it, Drum Island had no welcoming party, angry or not. Despite the eerie feeling that they weren't welcome, no one tried to kick them out. About all the welcome a pirate could receive.

Bellemere once again laid the ground rules for their time on shore. Zoro and Gin were to stay and guard the ship, as well as cycle training. Luffy would carry Robin, feeling responsible for her illness in the first place. Nami and Vivi would make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Meanwhile, Sanji and Alvida would try to find some supplies. Bellemere stayed with Igaram and Miss Monday to make sure none of the prisoners escaped, while Kaya treated Galdino.

All around them were destroyed houses. Some looked like they were crushed under a massive weight, others like they were eaten by a giant glutton. Ahead they heard crying, as well as screaming. Angry screaming.

"Dalton!" A woman cried by the side of the man lying in the snow. She and many other residents wouldn't leave his side.

"Move! King Wapol doesn't want his people crying over the death of a traitor!" One of the soldiers yelled as he struck the woman with the back of his hand, knocking her away from the arrow filled Dalton.

"Dalton's not the traitor! You are!" One of the men yelled as he got up, pushing the soldier's sword aside to get in his face. Dalton was the straw that broke the Lapahn's back. "Wapol doesn't care about this country!" The man's resistance lit the fire under the frost bitten behinds of the rest of the heartbroken civilians.

"How dare you insult King Wapol?! That's punishable by death!" The soldier reared back his sword and slashed the man across the chest, sending him back with an open wound right next to Dalton.

Armed with their hunting rifles, the residents of Drum Kingdom all took aim at the soldiers. They weren't the highest caliber, but army issued uniforms were meant to stop frostbite, not bullets.

The soldiers were far from taking on a firing squad without the assistance of dirty tactics or their king's power. So the smartest of the bunch stepped behind the dumbest and pushed them forward. Hoping to use them as bullet sponges before they charged and took out the reloading rebels.

"Hey! We need a doctor!" Luffy yelled, stopping the fighting mere moments before it happened. Though they were all still angry.

The army and the civilians knew that anyone who wanted to get medical care had to grovel at his feet. He kept them under lock and key at all times. "Only Wapol's slaves are allowed to see the Isshi-20!" One of the men yelled at the stranger. No native to the land would yell something like that, as they'd know it was useless.

"Hey, you jerk! Get me a doctor!" Luffy yelled angrily, unconcerned with the fight they were about to have.

One of the men fired in anger "We have no more doctors!" He yelled, starting a chain reaction. The first row of soldiers were shot, some repeatedly. Once their bodies fell down, the wave behind them charged forward. The unprepared men and women tried to reload as fast as possible, but it would be much too slow.

Alvida and Sanji charged forward. Sanji to protect the women, Alvida to finally get in a fight. The two stood by each other in front of the civilians and got ready to defend, after Alvida snatched a rifle to beat them with.

The soldiers didn't stop just because two stupid people stepped forward. The next dozen were confident they could quash this uprising. The few fastest immediately attacked, without much strategy. A grave error when attacking monsters.

Sanji's years of training allowed him to kick and break the arms, chest, or anything else that got in the way of his black-clad feet. The soldier's body was sent flying backwards with a strong kick the chest. He followed it up by breaking the arm of one of the men attacking the beautiful Alvida.

Alvida didn't need to dodge or do anything fancy. She was confident these men couldn't hurt her or her beautiful, albeit freezing, skin. The sword cut through some fabric and then slipped right off. After a moment of shock the soldier recoiled and stepped backwards. Alvida countered with a baseball like swing to the man's head, cracking the butt of the rifle and the left side of the man's skull. A home run in her mind. With a downward swing she got the man with the broken arm, and got ready for the next wave.

The men had lost faith in fighting, which caused them to slow and second guess themselves. Sanji was content with knocking them unconscious with a quick kick. But Alvida, a much more ruthless pirate, went for killing blows. Reducing the relic of a rifle to a chunk of splintering wood and bent metal. Though at least the two of them managed to incapacitate, in one form or another, the entire squadron.

The civilians stared in shock at their saviors. The blonde kick-boxer and that weird hooker had saved their lives! In desperate need of a new hero, they rushed to the two in celebration, as it was the only thing to celebrate that day. At least, until they heard the Straw Hat wearing boy carrying the woman.

"Hey! Wake up! Where's a doctor?!" Luffy yelled, picking Dalton up from the snow with one hand. He could feel some slow blood flow and knew his heart was still pumping. Luffy clotted up the blood in the arrow holes and sped up the flow, hoping for someone to pay him some attention and give him some answers.

There was a somber pause as the crowd focused on the boy. It reminded them of the hopelessness they felt. Dalton was the only person to stand up to Wapol, and now he was-

"He's getting up!" One of the men yelled, seeing Dalton move. Getting up may have been a generous way of describing the pained efforts to lift his head, but it caught everyone's attention.

"Now that you assholes are listening, where's a doctor?!" Luffy knew an island this big had to have a doctor. No matter how poor it was. Now that it was someone who they cared about, they should be a little more forthcoming with their information.

"They're all at Wapol's castle..." One of the men said, letting the realization watch over them all.

Luffy groaned and hit into the pile of snow in frustration, causing Dalton to sit up fully. "We. Will. Take it back." Dalton panted, getting his breath back. He could feel his strength coming back to him now that his wounds stopped bleeding.

The people rallied around Dalton and helped him stand, all revitalized by his determination. They talked about what could be done, how it could be done, but before anything was set Luffy once again interjected.

"Where the hell is this castle you bastards!" All this time it was Wapol this and Castle that. No one had actually pointed it out! For all Luffy knew it was on a different island nearby, or even-

"On top of that mountain..." One of the citizens said, looking up at the tallest mountain in the kingdom.

Though it was too cold to let it out, everyone groaned internally. This was the kind of thing you'd read in a graphic novel, not experience in real life. What kind of ego-maniac wants to be on that damn mountain?!

"Looks like we're going for a long climb…" Luffy said, breaking the silence that weighed down on them all.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the best way to break said silence. After all, that was an impossible feat for anyone. "We have a way to get up there. Wapol's men started working immediately on fixing the lift to the top of the mountain. It will be well guarded, but it's the only..."

"Where is it?" Alvida, Luffy, and Sanji asked the shockingly well informed man in unison, not caring about the risk. After all, their idiot captain seemed willing to climb the mountain, fighting to use a lift would be easy in comparison.

"Are you serious about this?" Dalton asked, breathing heavily as he stood tall. His Bison body was resilient enough to make him a formidable defender, and hastened his abilities to recover. That, coupled with his insides being fixed by Luffy and a fire being lit by the outsiders willing to take on their king.

"We're serious about saving our friend," Sanji replied, wanting it to sound cooler than whatever lame thing Luffy may say in response. It surely worked on the crowd, who stared in awe.

"Everyone. I will return." Dalton said as he turned and walked in the direction of the lift. "Give them no quarter." Dalton's word made a few people gulp, but they couldn't argue. They had plenty of opportunities to help the people. Instead, they were the oppressive hand of Wapol.

* * *

Meanwhile, on another island of similar distance into the Grand Line…

"Where is he?!" Smoker yelled, pinning the bandit into the wall by the throat, slowly lifting him up in front of crew.

"I'm telling ya! I stole the hat off a peasant!" The bandit cried out through his closing windpipe, wanting desperately to breathe like he was once able to.

Smoker couldn't accept that fact. The Straw Hat he saw the bandit wearing sent him into a fury. Some of the bandit gang were in the process of bleeding to death from his vicious blitz attack. The marine backup he brought with him even kept him from using his Logia form for defense, a practice he was getting used to after the run in with Luffy. "Where. Is. Straw-Hat?!" Smoker raised the bandit vertically with a hand around his throat.

The poor defenseless bandit stood no chance. His crew got attacked by thin air, held up by marines, and now he was quite literally held up by a marine. The ones he had dealt with were such punks. Knowing how to swing a sword, but not how to use the forest for their on survival. But this marine was out for blood, and he'd be willing to exchange any for his own. "Ask. Peasant." With the oxygen levels he had left, he'd trade in his mother, grandmother, and child-hood dog for air. Hopefully that hapless nobody could serve as his replacement in this guy's clutches.

Smoker let the man fall from his grasp, but met his falling head with a rising knee, taking his consciousness from his as well as causing some hemorrhaging. "Filthy pirates got to them… Execute them." Smoker ordered as he walked away, causing pleas of mercy. The rifles and pistols rung out through the entire bandit encampment. Marines blinded by their commitment to the cause of justice failed to see the underlying nature of their act.

One of Smoker's subordinate's rushed back to him. He had been told to head to this island's base, gather their needed intel, and come back. "Captain Smoker! There was an island with no reported survivors shortly into the Grand Line… That could be him, sir."

Smoker gritted his teeth. The first slip up of his career and it was on this grand a scale. This pirate had already slaughtered an island's worth of people. He was going to personally end that pirate's career, and life. Smoker looked at the map. He would need to get ahead of them if he was going to catch them. "Men, we're moving out." Smoker yelled loud enough for all of them to hear. They followed him back to the sip and boarded it, sailing to their next destination.

Back in the village, the people celebrated the enthusiasm of the marines. The ones stationed on their island would hardly ever leave to take out the bandits that would plague them on their travels, but these visitors came and served their community justice. They were heroes!

* * *

Back on an island with a surprisingly low amount of actual drums…

"Look you go get the supplies, I'll go with Luffy." Alvida argued, trying to get in on the fighting that was sure to be going on at the top of the mountain.

Nami, Vivi, and Sanji were all debating over who should go up there with him. Nami and Vivi certainly weren't going to be accompanying a battle, seeing as they were not that capable. Sanji, however, did not like the idea of a beautiful woman like Alvida getting in harm's way.

"Would you rather Nami and Vivi get left here alone and defenseless?" Alvida asked, running a finger along his chest as she walked. Sanji froze and cursed under his breath. That was such a dirty trick from a gorgeous woman. But it worked.

"Luffy, you know what we said. You can't get in a big fight. If she were to fall in this condition..." Nami had accompanied Kaya when overlooking Robin, and it wasn't good.

"I know..." Luffy said, gritting his teeth a little at the thought. "We'll be back soon, don't worry." He turned around and gave her a big smile, hiding any of the underlying fear he felt.

The three gave him small nods and turned back around. Luffy, Alvida, and the small battalion of people who accompanied Dalton could certainly handle anything this island could throw at them.

The group marched their way through the snow at a slower pace as they approached the spot of the lift. It was one of the first things Wapol wanted fixed, that way people could get right up to grovel at his feet. Luckily, it was already repaired. Unluckily, it was already guarded. The residents weren't exactly quick in the snow, but Alvida and Luffy may as well have been crawling through it when it came to them. If they were to charge the group, they be met with a volley of bullets. No threat to Alvida, but if any were to hit Robin…

Dalton set up the rifleman in the snow around them. They were going to be ready to take out as many as they could with the first round of fire. Alvida, being bullet proof, would get the enemies attention focused on her to cover the charge.

With the plan in place, everyone took their positions. Riflemen crawled through the snow up the hill, all the while making sure their rifles didn't get covered in snow and made useless from the damp black-powder. Alvida trudged through the snow boldly towards the enemy, still wielding an empty rifle as a club. In a very her fashion, she started out subtly. "Oh boys! Could you help a lost beauty like me?" She asked, leaning on the rifle like she once did her mace. Though she didn't have the advantage of showing off her curvaceous body, she was still a woman and these men were certainly stupid and lonely.

Her assumptions were spot on. They ogled and shuffled towards her with the grace of walruses. As soon as one got close enough to try and grope her, she swung the rifle with true anger. "Did I say you had permission to touch my beautiful body?!" She yelled, causing the other men to step back and ready their weapons.

After that extremely obvious signal the resistance open fired, taking out their riflemen first so they couldn't shoot back. The men and women of Dalton's forces, as well as Dalton himself, charged forward led by the Bison himself. The surprised soldiers charged back as well, expecting to easily quash the rebellion.

The fighting was rather ferocious, if short-lived. Alvida was able to take out a few of the men who focused on her. Only losing a bit of sleeve in the fighting.

Dalton was by far the most successful fighter, despite his injuries. His spade had taken out some of Wapol's soldiers before and was doing just as well this time. His speed and strength were multiple times that of any normal man, which left the normal men he fought at an extreme disadvantage.

Luffy had to stay back, for fear of getting Robin hurt. He was able to use some shards of spilled blood, but it wasn't the best conditions for that to be a consistent method of attack. As such, they lost a few men to the better trained military force. But the super-humans Dalton and Alvida, combined with their surprise attack, ensured these casualties were kept to a minimum. Even so, they all knew each other in the group and felt the loss hard.

The now slightly smaller group made certain every soldier was dead before they loaded into the lift, no way were they going to deal with the cable being cut half-way up the mountain after all. Dalton stared up the mountain angrily, wanting revenge for all that was done to the people of the island. Alvida and Luffy both could feel the hate radiating from him. These civilians were angry, but this man was engulfed with rage. "So… Nice weather we're having." Alvida said, trying to lighten the mood of the ride with fellow murderers.

The silence was so sharp it could have cut her despite the power she possessed. No one wanted to make small talk about the weather when they were in the middle of overthrowing the monarchy. It wasn't exactly a dais for her to stand on and crack jokes after all. It was time to discuss more serious matters.

"Wapol will most likely be trying to reestablish himself in the castle. Our priority is the armory. I have a plan for that..." Dalton felt the linings of his coat. His highly explosive idea would ensure that Wapol didn't devour enough weaponry to prevent any of them from stopping him, though it may cost him his own life. "You all will be distracting them. Keep your distance, they don't have much in terms of range." Dalton tried his best to lay out a plan that would keep them alive. Wapol himself was only powerful if he had eaten the right items. If he could go blow the Armory, when he came back they had a chance. That Alvida woman was quite the powerhouse after all.

* * *

Shortly before his master plan was told, up on top of the mountain…

"Chopper. You're running out of time!" Kureha, the elderly abusive mother figure of the most lovable reindeer since Rudolph yelled to her adoptive furry son. The special medicine he had made only had a three minute lifespan before it wore off. Three minutes he'd have to make the most of.

"I know!" Chopper responded, loud but respectful. He had more fear for her than any of Wapol's men. His various points were doing a good job of keeping the men at bay. Knocking them out was the goal. He didn't want to kill anyone, yet, and any other injury could be healed by their doctor's.

Dr. Kureha had a different plan. She was using various flintlocks she had stashed just in case. She was not above suspending the Hippocratic oath if the life of Chopper and herself were in danger. No soldier who got close to her didn't drop dead with a bullet in the brain. You couldn't cure the hate in their hearts with anything else after all. "Get inside! We've gotta barricade!"

* * *

The militia flooded out of the lift and spread out in a line. This way they could avoid friendly fire and could charge if need be. But none of Wapol's men were outside. The main door was busted open. The witch that lived here must not have been that good with black magic. Dalton and his men went to investigate. Luffy and Alvida followed behind, not wanting to get trampled by the charging troops.

"Do you think there's a doctor here?" Luffy asked Alvida, surprising her a bit. Doubt wasn't a thing he typically expressed, especially to her. Not that he expressed anything to her since he became her knight in blood soaked armor.

"You'd have to be pretty stupid to have an army without a doctor. I wouldn't worry." Alvida reassured him as she walked, taking a peek at the woman on his back. She certainly wasn't looking better. At least this would be hell of a place to be buried…

* * *

"GRRRAAA! WAPOL!" A beast yelled out from somewhere inside. The sound of crushing stone was heard by the men inside. That and bone mixed together. Just on the other side Chopper was taking full advantage of his randomly selected form he was given from the second Rumble Ball. Arm Point could crush boulders in a single blow. And when Kureha took that blade to the shoulder, the boulder was switched to bones. Arms and Ribs of anyone charging him were destroyed without remorse. He wouldn't lose her too.

Everyone converged on the roar. Wapol's men were stepping back to let Chess handle the body building monster, while Dalton's men rounded the corner to see the witch and her minion pinned down on the far end of the hallway. Kuromarimo took it upon himself to begin dealing with them while Chess dealt with the reindeer. "Have you come to pledge allegiance to King Wapol?" He asked with a smile, knowing the answer wouldn't make him happy.

Dalton stepped through the doorway like a man on a mission. All of Wapol's men were isolated, right here. This was a better option than destroying the armory, as it let him take out the threat without leaving the civilians to fight the battles for him. "No. We're taking back our country." He stated defiantly, pulling the spade off his back. No way afros could beat his strength. Not even Afro Power!

"King Wapol! Dalton's instituting a rebellion!" The magistrate informed the King, who was busy launching cannonballs at the Reindeer. Who, unfortunately, was destroying them with surprising speed.

Wapol reacted with shock. Sure, his head had been cut off and he was still around, but the Ishi-20 had patched him up! Dalton didn't have a single doctor to repair those injuries! "Well, what are you waiting for? Kill them!" He ordered his afro-boxer. He turned his attention to the deer and the doctor. "Chess! Finish the deer off already!"

* * *

Back on the Ship, Zoro and Gin were training against each other in a more or less friendly competition. They were both monsters in their own rights, but Zoro had a bit on him.

"Dammit. How can you be so resilient?" Gin asked as he struggled to do the laps around the boat. The near frozen water was trying its hardest to freeze his muscles and drag him into the depths. But Zoro was going strong. Keeping a constant speed as he lapped Gin twice over.

"Training. A lifetime of training." Zoro answers as he passes him with a smile. Confident he's won Zoro stops at the rope ladder and climbs back up. His shirtless frozen body turning from glistening to frosted within moments. He fought the instinctive chatter to seem even tougher to Gin as he climbed up after. Hardly able to move.

"Well I'm sure as hell not going to let you off that easy..." Gin had intentionally shouldered the swordsman as he walked to grab a towel they had surprisingly thought to have waiting for them, but he didn't respond. Hell, he didn't even move. It was almost as if the water on him really had formed a shell of ice around him. "What the hell…?" Gin followed the gaze of one swordsman to one swords-woman.

Tashigi was shaking like a recruit at their first battle. She was far from used to this weather, but she wasn't going to go inside. She needed to watch for the return of her Straw-Hatted Captor. If he was a man of his word, he'd be coming back with some good news. Though based on how he looked when he left, it wasn't on his mind. The health of his crew was. But she was still hopeful he'd come back and be her hero… At least in the since that he'd get her off this boat…

But first, Zoro had to step in. He grabbed a winter coat and walked over to her. With classic Zoro subtlety, he chucked the coat in her lap like a sack of grain. "You'll freeze if you don't cover up. Don't want to turn around and visit the doctor again." Zoro said, sounding as close to not caring as he could manage. Though there was more to it than wanting to save time, of course.

"Oh. Uh, thank you." Tashigi said with a half-smile as she took the coat from the man becoming a living snow man. She slipped it on and sighed in relief. "Wow. This is really warm. Th- Hey!" Just as she was starting to give him a proper thank you he had turned and started walking away. "It's rude to just walk away from someone you know!"

"I'm getting something to warm myself up. Want some?" He asked, ignoring her outrage like the rant of an aggravated child.

Once again Tashigi was stunned by his kind gesture. Damn pirates and their bursts of kindness. "Yes. Thank you."

A few minutes later Zoro walked back with a shirt, a bottle, and two cups. He poured them each some of the mystery drink and downed his own before she could even pick her own up. She just assumed he was cold and in need of the warming tea. Then the naive marine took a sip.

"PFFFF! This is liquor!" She yelled out after she swallowed it. It's not like she had never had any, she just wasn't looking to get drunk with a pirate on the off chance she would be let go. It wouldn't look good to her superiors. Plus, what if this was just the start of him trying to-

"Sake." Zoro corrected, pouring himself another cup and setting the bottle close to himself. "If you're too good for it, don't drink it. But I'm not listening to a rant about how it's evil." Zoro certainly wasn't about to put up with any more condescension. He got enough of it from her when she was still alive.

Tashigi zipped her lip and took another sip. If she couldn't judge it based on morality, she could insult it based on quality. The stuff was cheap. Though that undoubtedly meant he had a large stockpile to get drunk off of rather than a select few bottles to enjoy. After she finished the surprisingly strong stuff she motioned for him to give a refill. "I'm sorry, I just didn't know you were trying to get me drunk." Tashigi apologized honestly. Hoping to have a decent conversation with the swordsman that didn't end in sadness or anger.

"You can get drunk off one bottle? Pfft. Lightweight." Zoro joked with a toothy grin as he knocked down a third cup. He stopped her from snatching the bottle up in retaliation. "Just joking with ya. Kinda. Just thought you could use a drink. Lighten up."

"That's hard to do surrounded by pirates. Like a tiger surrounded by poachers." Tashigi defended reasonably. It would be hard for anyone to ease up around their enemy. They could kill her, or much worse, on a whim for all she knew. She needed to be prepared to run as fast as she could or to fight back with whatever she had.

"Thing about poachers is, they take the shot when they have it. If we wanted you dead, you'd already be dead." Zoro...was not good at taking a load of people's minds. But there was at least one good point in there. She couldn't really say they wanted her dead. Besides the first impression of the captain and the lanky man with the gun, no one had as much as threatened her life. She had the promise of freedom from the captain and protection from the swordsman.

"You have a point…" Tashigi reached for the bottle again and poured herself another cup. She held it up and toasted. "To not being killed!" She cheered, trying to make light of the conversation.

"Yet." Zoro retorted with another smirk that earned him a punch to the arm from the strong marine woman. His and her humor were obviously a little different.

* * *

Chopper and Kureha lied on the ground, panting. The old doctor from her stab wound, the young reindeer from his arrow wounds. That bastard Wapol had destroyed Kureha's cover then had Chess fire at her, knowing Chopper would dive in front to take the arrows. Leg point was not the most durable, so he was now out of the fight.

Dalton's resistance was just about to break the army's defensive line. With Kuromarimo defeated by Dalton, since he didn't have Chess's flame arrows to make use of, the army were given no helpful orders outside of Wapol yelling to kill them. This meant that Dalton's training and battle oriented mind were being put to good use crushing a less coordinated army.

Luffy did all he could to help, but he was at a disadvantage. It was no warmer inside than it was out. The doors had been breached and the freezing air took hold of the stone castle. His own heart rate was slowing. His blood wasn't flowing like it should. Using the blood of others was getting nigh on impossible. He had a few seconds just after they blood, but then it was too cold for him to properly manipulate. He felt helpless. But he couldn't risk joining the fray with Robin on his back. One blow would kill her.

"I've had it! Tongue Cannon!" Wapol was not about to let that traitorous Dalton take his castle. His birthright! If it meant having to tear into his own army, so be it.

"Get to Cover!" Dalton yelled before the cannon tongue went off, firing a swallowed cannonball into the middle of the fighting. Going in it took out a good chunk of Wapol's men, but coming out it took far more of Dalton's less damaged forces. Men and Women he had grown to know. Both sides stopped fighting to catch their breaths. Neither saw that blast coming. Dalton's because of sheer surprise, and Wapol's disbelief that he would fire upon them!

Then, it happened again. Wapol was hell bent on clearing out the traitors from his castle. The second blast was on the rubble wall some of the traitors were hiding behind. It buried in and scattered the rocks like shrapnel, annihilating their defenses. Wapol smiled and examined his handiwork. Then his smile faded when he noticed one of the traitors standing defiantly in the back. He wielded no weapon, and certainly didn't look like a local. "You there, peasant! Are you looking for a fight?" Wapol liked his odds against an unarmed teenager.

"I'm just looking for a doctor! My friend is really sick and-" Luffy's sentence was cut short by a searing pain in his stomach. He looked down to see an arrow, buried in straight through the soft flesh of his stomach. He instinctively grabbed the wound in pain, having really taken an arrow through the gut.

Chess had no change of expression for the boy he just shot. Being on that side of the hallway meant he was an enemy to Wapol, fighting with Dalton. He readied another arrow and took aim, now aiming for his head. Or possibly the woman he was carrying.

"Foolish peasant! All doctors on this island belong to me! And only those who grovel at my feet deserve to be treated. Chess!"

The archer didn't need to finish hearing the order. He aimed for the boys head and released the arrow. Aiming to kill two traitors with one arrow. "Yes, King Wapol."

* * *

thewittywhy- God of the Sky vs. God of the Mortal. Who will win? Find out in the greatest fight of the Gods since that time gods fought. Then fought again. Then again... Then when Goku got pissed. Gods have to chill out.

The Keeper of Worlds- Haha. Thanks! Seeing as the Island Eater was one big living thing, it stood no chance against Luffy. Though you can imagine something that big left him exhausted for quite a while. Obviously I've picked a name for our lovely painter, but our Chocolatier is still up in the air. As for the fruit thing, once again it's between Usopp and Sanji. A counter point from that would be that he's no longer restricted to distant combat. At very least he wouldn't be bound to just a hammer and close range Stars. Plus, he would branch it out to create and design more weapons. For example, how many shotguns have you seen besides Gin's? Hell Krieg was the only one to use modern day bullets.

daniel2610994- Well it would be either Dorry or Broggy who joined, not both. Seeing as it's a battle to the death. But beside the point, they're giants. They'd have to swim everywhere. They could, but it would be inconvenient after a while. And now way would they be able to get a ship to accomodate the size of a giant crew mate. Also, I ship LuRo way too hard not to stack the deck in her favor.

Nowdied & Trebeh- Yes. Yes indeed.

Camdawg- Yes as a possibility, no where in the near future. Hell, it took two months to get this chapter out. We aren't even done with this island! But in the future, that could be an interesting pairing. She'd either be disgusted by or in love with his flavor.

Zekedavis- Damn. Sounds like the intro to an anime about politicians who are secretely super villians. While the whole "Chef who's his own knife" would be useful, that's more of a minor feature. Though the kick attacks would be exceedingly deadly. Turning enemies into salad and what not. The bomb bomb fruit would give him the ability to eat explosives however. Possibly adding gunpowder to spice up the meals, at least for himself.

Tanithlipsky- Un-subtle? Are you trying to trick me into revealing it? I'm not entirely sure I can write out the story to the point where he'd hit a bad end, at least in the sense you're talking about. Luffy's disease will be revealed in time. It may surprise you. Others may read it and go "HA! I KNEW IT!" But you'd have to be a little crazy...just like me!

howmanyisthat- You're right. I have been glossing over that, which is terrible of me. After this mini-arc that will change. As for the Shishishi, I'll be working on that. I've been focused on the action more than the character development. Thank you for showing me that. As for the fighting, it's also about to change. Though that's not all on you. Yes, using just one move would be effective. But there's only so many times you could read "Luffy punched X" before that attack got old. Logia's aren't restricted to any one attack type. Crocodile would punch, stab, posion, dehydrated, launch sand blades, create quicksand, etc. Why wouldn't Luffy diversify his attacks? Luffy also wasn't necessarily that much stronger. The stuff Zoro did was astoundishing, he was just regularly nerfed for no reason. (Being stuck in a chimney while Luffy moved buildings, even though zoro's lifted and thrown buildings) Finally, yes. The Nami hurting them thing is just a gag. Not everyone likes it, but it's sort of a staple of the series. Despite being monsters, Nami terrifies them. I apologize this doesn't appeal to you, but it's really just a gag.

I hope this answered everyone's questions. I'd love to see even more reviews for this chapter. Especially questions. Discussing this is really fun, and I do like talking to my fans. Cross your fingers that I can get the next chapter done this year!


	16. A Monarch Overthrown! The First Meal!

Hello, everyone! So glad to see all the responses. I don't really have much else to say besides thank you. So uh… On to the story!

* * *

Luffy panted as he fell to a knee, both hands on the arrow in his stomach. It burned like pure acid and was poking out his back. Not knowing of any better method, and the immense pain distracting him from turning into blood, Luffy shoved the arrow through his own stomach. Blood began to ooze uncontrollably from his mouth. He was seriously injured, even he knew that.

Chess let loose the second arrow towards the now defenseless boy. He had no qualms about it, of course, as it wasn't the first time he had to do execute an unarmed boy. Any enemy of Wapol's was an enemy of his, and that meant that he would have to die.

Around them were the beaten and bloody resistance fighters, almost none of them conscious. Only those in the very back, as they were not hit by the main concussive force, and Dalton. His leg was crushed under a particularly large stone that one of Wapol's shots dislodged. The entire castle was on the verge of falling apart as it were, his wanton destruction could very well bring this hallway crumbling down. But that wasn't his focus. His focus was on the stranger with an arrow in his gut. Dalton himself took quite a few, but he was a grown man and a trained warrior. This boy, for all he knew, was little more than a scared teenager trying to find a doctor for his friend. "Chess!"

No amount of yells from anyone besides Wapol would affect the stoic archer. He was acting like a mindless tool for Wapol to use, and his purpose now was to kill. A single arrow flew at the boy with deadly accuracy. It was certain to hit…

Just not Luffy. Alvida pushed herself up from the pile of rubble and stood between her captain/boyfriend and the archer. No way was that weakling going to kill her man! The arrow soared and struck her in the chest, as Luffy's doubled over stance lowered where a headshot would be. The moment it touched her perfect skin it was followed the smooth path and went harmlessly into the wall behind them. Alvida shot a cocky smirk back at the noodle mouthed man. "You missed!" She gloated, even sticking out her tongue.

Chess's noodle like mouth contorted to a terrifying noodley depression. He notched and launched another arrow in the hopes that it was a fluke, but once again it slipped right off her smooth skin.

Alvida sauntered towards him, grabbing one of the pole-arms from a dead soldier to act as her weapon. "Tsk tsk. You should just put the bow down and grovel, you'll live longer." Alvida threatened as she neared him, playing with the pole in her hands. Whatever the hell it was, it was pointy, and that's what was important.

* * *

"Mister cook… I was wondering where you learned how to cook so well." Vivi asked, breaking the silence as the trio browsed for anything the village could spare, which needless to say wasn't much after the attack. Though on the flip side, not too many people were left to claim anything of their own, and Nami wasn't above salvaging supplies.

"You wish to know about Moi?!" Sanji asked back, delighted that a beautiful royal woman was interested in him. Plus, after that Valentine incident, he needed a compliment on his cooking skills. "I've been training since I was just a little kid. But I didn't really get me feet wet till I met Red Leg Zeff, the greatest cook on the seas." Sanji said, pride in his voice to be taught by such a skilled cook, even if he was an ornery old bastard sometimes…

"No wonder your food is so lovely!" Vivi responded with a big smile as she looked at the fish he selected. The land may be too harsh to grow food, but the ice fishing must be great. Vivi was about to ask about his parent's involvements, but after infiltrating Baroque Works and seeing the world outside her kingdom, she knew it was easy to not know them at all.

"Oh yeah, I remember him. The old man who insulted you all the time. He's the reason you're such a good chef than?" Nami asked as she walked back with a sack full of looted valuables that may or may not have been lost.

"Reason I'm alive, too," Sanji said, examining the fish. The bluegill was quite impressive in size and must have lived deep down before the natives caught it. "He gave me all of his food while we were stuck in a hell hole of a rock in the middle of the sea. Didn't want me to starve..." Sanji examined the gills, trying to hyper-analyze the seafood so it wouldn't be so hard to remember the pain.

"No wonder he was such an influence. Hell, Luffy goes two hours without food and he'd raze a city to the ground. I can't imagine what it was like to-"

"Hell. It was hell." Sanji cut Nami off before she could contribute anymore. It's not that he didn't want to hear her lovely voice, it's that she wouldn't get it. No one is supposed to get that hungry. Not as hungry as he was. Not as hungry as Zeff was… "Eighty-five days. Eighty-five days eating worse than a stray dog!" Sanji yelled, stomping his foot down on the snow, flattening it out forcefully. "That's why I'm a chef. So no one else will have to suffer like that." Sanji grabbed the fish and walked back towards the ship. Wiping away some of the tears as nonchalantly as he could. Bearing out his past like that wasn't something he planned on. Worrying those lovely ladies with his painful past was ungentlemanly.

"I didn't know he had been through so much… I'm sorry I brought it up..." Vivi said solemnly as she looked down at the ground. Feeling guilty for making their cook go through such a terrible memory.

"I didn't either..." Nami admitted. Even more upset with herself than Vivi was. She was on the same crew as Sanji, and she didn't know well...anything about him. Hell, they didn't know anything about each other!

* * *

Back on the ship, a few of the pirates actually were trying to get to know each other.

"So, you're making your own ammunition?" Gin asked Usopp as he looked over his special made "stars", which were shaped like ordinary ammo.

"Yeah! It's really quite genius. I have some with gunpowder that explode, others that create smoke, even the terrifying tobacco stars!" Usopp boasted, proud of his range weaponry.

Then, without warning, Gin pulled the shotgun from his holster and pointed it at Usopp. "Think you can make more?" He asked with a smirk when the spineless sniper nearly crapped himself.

Usopp angrily took the gun from Gin and fiddled with it for a moment. Never having seen anything like it. In all honesty, it was better than any old flintlock he scrounged for parts. But what he was interested in was the actual ammo. He pried out a shell and examined it. "Huh… Mind if I cut this baby open and see how it works? Otherwise, I doubt I'll even know how it works..."

"Just the one. Not exactly wearing a bandolier here." Gin said, slightly annoyed by the request. He wanted to conserve what precious little ammo he had for emergencies. Or to prove a point… Either way letting the resident child with a slingshot cut it apart to look out wouldn't typically make it to the list, but he was desperate to improve his fighting capabilities to be a better crewman. Since instead of competing against one skilled fighter, he had to deal with at least three others. The angry swordsman, the pervy cook, and the woman with shiny skin. He knew their names well enough, but those were the main qualities he'd gathered from being around them.

"While you do that, I'll look over your stars. Like for one, these lead ones should be heavier. Who're you gonna kill with these?" Gin asked stoically, more disappointed with the result than anything. Sure these lead stars would leave a hell of a welp, but they'd knock you out at worst. Everyone needed a lethal alternative, after all.

"Nobody! That's the point! But uh, after seeing those giants… Bigger Stars wouldn't hurt..." Usopp said, remembering the mighty warriors. He stood no chance, even if he had giant stars. But the point was to simply be better so he wouldn't be the least capable.

"Oh, that's why you call them stars. Otherwise, you'd be talking about needing bigger bal-"

"SHUT UP AND LET ME WORK!" Usopp yelled, visibly angry at the normally stoic man for making a rather funny observation. He stormed off with the weapon and single round of ammunition. Merry's damage may be beyond his expertise, but tinkering with something like this fit in perfectly. If only he had a place to work.

* * *

Alvida was, for all purposes, superhuman. Bulletproof, capable of extreme speed, super strong. That's why the noodley Chess stood no chance. His unwavering loyalty got a halberd cleaved down his collar bone, ensuring he wouldn't wield any weapon against the most beautiful pirate on the seas ever again. With the archer felled like a boar, the only thing left was the pig of a king.

Wapol backed away, timidly. Keeping the Isshi-20 behind him in case she was actually capable of hurting him. "Now wait just a minute! A woman of your beauty would do well as Queen of Drum Kingdom!" Wapol spurted, trying to strike a deal with the seemingly invincible woman. Of course, he meant it as well, if his life wasn't on the line he'd most likely offer her the same position. She was, after all, quite beautiful.

Alvida smirked. This pathetic man was like the rest. Too proud to surrender but too weak to stand up to her. "Hmm… Queen of the Drums… Sounds like a cheap consolation prize compared to being Future Pirate Queen." Alvida could see the image vividly. Her on a mountain of gold that was being built by quivering men. Of course next to her was her dashing Pirate King, but she didn't rely on him to get there. It would just be...easier.

"Turning down a King?" Wapol was genuinely surprised she turned down his offer. It was quite generous in his head. In exchange for not killing him and taking the country for herself, she could let him live and not rule it. Fair! But no matter. He had a backup plan. If arrows, bullets, and cannonballs couldn't hurt her, something he had actually enjoyed could. He slowly feigned putting a hand up in fear, before turning it into a torch he had eaten earlier when he craved something with a heat to it. Then, turning his saliva into some high proof liquor he enjoyed on occasion, spit at the peasant who defied her!

Alvida was taken off guard by the fireball that suddenly launched from the fat man. She put up an arm out of pure reflex. This act saved her beautiful face from being permanently disfigured, but her arm was worse for wear. In that, the side facing Wapol was burned from the engulfing flames. "Ahh! Dammit!" She screamed in pain, clutching the burned skin as she stumbled backward.

Wapol let out a sadistic chuckle as Alvida recoiled. "Mahahahaha! That's what happens to those who deny Kings!" Wapol started to gather more spit for another fireball, which he impatiently spit out as soon as he thought it was big enough.

Alvida, fortunately, expected something as low as a follow-up fireball and scrambled back just in time. But it didn't change the fact that this fuck had found a weakness she didn't even know about yet. Which left her in a bad position of unarmed and burned armed.

"If only you were my Queen. Then you would get the best medical attention in the world!" Wapol boasted, torturing Alvida like a sick child with a limbless insect.

Luffy's breathing was shallow and rapid, but even so, he crawled. Crawled over the bodies of the dead towards his goal. The doctors. His body was on the verge of quitting, but he will drag it back to pull just one more foot forward. His unique Logia body was already healing with the aid of spilled blood, but the arrow went completely through him, at least with his aid. Organs were being repaired. Nerves reconnected. He looked up, seeing Alvida crawling backward away from roaring flames. He wanted to rush in and help, but he felt so weak…

Luckily there was a guardian there. Not a swordsman. Not a cook. Not, in fact, any member of his crew whatsoever. But instead a monster. A huge one that rushed from behind rocks, furry hands balled up into fists.

"YOU DON'T GET TO CHOOSE WHO LIVES!" Chopper yelled as he charged the surprised king in his completely human form. He was roughly the size of Dalton, if not bigger. His furry fists were not padded in any way, and in fact underneath the fur on his body was pure muscle. The punch to Wapol's jaw was strong enough to break the rivet's keeping the plates attached on that side...as well as the mandible keeping the jaw attached to his skull.

Wapol was thrown sideways by the force of the punch. He squeaked in pain, the only noise he could make, as he hit the stone wall. He hardly had the strength to push himself up, though that was because of how much there was to push up. Which gave him an idea… "Ssssllllaaaa" Wapol tried to name off his "Slim Wapol" Technique but was then reminded of the fact that his bottom jaw was no longer attached. He looked to the doctors. "Iiiiisssss" He tried to order them over, but once again, no jaw.

"You took my FATHER!" Chopper wasn't done. Not by a long shot. While Wapol was turning to medicine, Chopper was finally turning away from it. Using his fists to save who he loved for a change. The next blow connected on the King's nose, sending him head first backward through the wall. "Now you want to take my HOME?! MY MOTHER?!"

With not a single soldier left standing to fight with him, Wapol was completely unprepared to fight. He was best behind the soldiers offering supportive fire unless he had an entire armory in his belly. But that damned deer and old witch were waiting and guarding his castle. Which meant that if he didn't have an unfair advantage, he'd lose. Unfortunately for Chopper, there was no fair fight when you take on a King.

Chopper huffed, trying to level himself out. He still had wounds that needed tending, and his increasing heart rate was just causing more blood loss. But he wasn't going to stop until Wapol was done for, one way or another. "I won't let you take anything else."

Wapol cowered in fear and backed away, rubbing his head in pain. "Waaaaiiiiit! Immmm shorrry!" Wapol apologized to the bipedal moose that broke his jaw, turning away from him. But Wapol was never one to admit defeat. With a flash his arm turned into a heavy club, which he swung with all of his extreme weight into the caribou's chest, sending him backward back into the castle.

Chopper's eyes glazed over as the pain overwhelmed him. The club had hundreds of pounds of weight behind it, and his tough broad chest merely dampened the impact. His ribs were broken, and he was coughing up blood in the middle of the room he was launched into.

Wapol pushed his dangling jaw up to his head and tried using his power for something he hadn't thought of yet. Regeneration. Knowing he had eaten some people earlier, he reattached it with some ligaments. Presto Wapol, he was back to his old self. Albeit in a looot of pain. "Maaaahaha! Sorry I didn't have you turned into a throw rug sooner!" Wapol trudged through the snow and climbed back into his castle. He walked to the monster he just incapacitated and put the arm length club over his face, ready to swing at it like it was a baseball. "And for your information, you dirty monster, I do get to decide who lives and who dies. It's the right of the KING!" With that, Wapol brought his club arm back to prepare for the killing swing…

Alvida, not for the life of the monster, for the sake of the kingdom, even for her lovely boyfriend, was not about to let that happen. She was going to do it for the worst crime Wapol could have committed. Scarring her beautiful new skin! She used the sharp end of the spear and cut off Wapol's giant club-like arm at the shoulder, where his muscles and tendons fused with the club to allow movement. With those invaluable pieces severed, Wapol was left disarmed, literally. "You like that?! You fat bastard!" Alvida yelled as Wapol fell over, gripping where his arm was severed.

"AHGHHG!" Wapol screamed in pain as not the first, not the second, but for the third time that day a part of his body was almost casually detached. The first being a beheading, the second his jaw, and now this! He wasn't some kind of Potato Headed plaything! "Isshi! Fix it!" He barked at the doctors who blindly followed his command, wanting his arm back.

They would have done it too if Alvida hadn't have armed herself with it. For the long, heavy club was much better served as a Big, Fat, Mace. One she had been looking for since her own was taken. Now, properly equipped, she could fight like her old self. Viciously. With great speed, she dashed back to the king and hit him full force with his own arm, which unfortunately for him was a lot better used in her hands.

Wapol was sent, for the second time, flying through the wall of his own castle out into the snow. It stained red as the blood poured out. After tumbling a great distance, he stopped just long enough to stand back up and try something else. Using limbs he had eaten. But he didn't have the time to see if he could, as Alvida didn't even want to slow down.

"Oh, you think that hurt you bastard." Alvida taunted, swinging Wapol's severed, blood-soaked, mace arm like it was her old beauty. "Just wait. I'm going to take away something you love." Alvida didn't know this man. But there's one thing just about every man loves.

"You can't take my kingdom! This is my birthright! Royal blood runs through my veins!" Wapol failed to appreciate the irony in the fact that as he protested, blood squirted out from his arm. Leaving his veins and arteries and being more a part of the snow than of himself.

"Heh… Maybe. But you'll be the last one!" And with that, Alvida attacked Wapol the worst way imaginable. She got a bit of a running start, hoisted the mace arm up high, then swung it upwards...right between Wapol's fat stubby legs. Ensuring that unless Wapol had a brother no one knew about, or a bastard child, no one was going to inherit this throne through lineage. It had the added bonus of sending the fat bastard so far away he twinkled. Which of course, Alvida was proud of.

With that bit of nasty business taken care of, Alvida walked her way back inside. Where she saw a scandalously old woman taking care of the huge raccoon. But what she was interested in were the confused and scared doctors. "You guys! Fix them up, starting with him!" Alvida ordered the hallway full of injured people taken care of, starting with her man.

18 doctors rushed past the boy to help the larger group of people in the hallway. Two stayed behind to tend to the one boy they were ordered to. They figured twice as much attention would suffice. However the heart attacks they suffered when the boy suddenly grabbed one of the doctor's ankle created a short delay. "Robin. Help Robin." Luffy groaned, pushing up to allow her to be more easily picked up. "She's. Really sick. Not injured." Luffy knew telling them the difference would help, at least in regards to time.

The two doctors carefully pulled the woman out of the makeshift backpack and looked around for a place to put her. Laying a sick woman on a stone floor in a wall-less room would be dangerous. Luckily, someone there was more qualified than even them.

"Take her through there and to the right. Then get your asses back here and see to my boy." Kureha ordered, shocking both of the doctors, but definitely getting their attention. They rushed the woman as quickly as they safely could. Then, she walked to the boy on the ground. "Your wounds are serious. You could die." She said as if she was reading off the weather to him. Questioning his very sanity.

"Help. Her." Luffy retorted, pushing himself to all fours in an act of defiance. Wanting to seem better off than he was. The bit of flesh cut by the arrow's entry was fine, but he still had internal damage. All that were being painfully stitched with blood tethers.

"I will. But let a doctor treat you. We'll need to discuss your bill after." Kureha said as she walked away, hiding her closed eyes. She exhaled deeply and went to diagnose the woman who remarkably wasn't injured in battle.

The Isshi doctors returned to Luffy, wanting to do what they could to help the innocent civilian who was hurt in the crossfire of all this bloodshed…

"Give me MEAT!" Luffy yelled, threatening to tear his own internal stitching. He needed to eat more than he needed any damn doctor. His eyes glossed over with the typical blood, providing a sort of pseudo blood vision. Anything with blood in it that wasn't alive was as good as eaten.

The sudden onset subconjunctival hemorrhaging was something both of the doctors worried over. Typically it was the sign of damage, or a vessel rupturing, but this was too sudden. While they were deciding the best method of treatment, they failed to notice their patient limping away.

Luffy was in need of meat. He hadn't had a bite since Robin got sick, which meant he was absolutely starving. He shuffled past the doctors who were helping the injured civilians, and to the people Dalton and his men had first fought. Most all of them were already dead, and full of blood…

Everyone there had multiple problems to address. Wounds, Frostbite, how to properly establish a new government. The one they did not expect having to deal with was cannibalism. But it was one everyone took notice of the moment they heard the distinct tearing of flesh. Most of the people there were simple civilians. Sure they had hunted. Skinned their kills. Even taken the life of another human being during this fighting. But now they witnessed someone being torn open. A dead soldier for Wapol's army. Parts of him were being ripped off and swallowed by the person they had thought to be the kid just trying to find a doctor. The only thing stopping them from vomiting was the fear that it would have some blood in it, the liquid this boy was drinking like mead at a feast.

While this seemed to be a grossly taboo act to everyone else, to Luffy this was a necessary form of healing. All this meat contained the precious precious blood he needed. With a surplus storage, he could now repair the damage instead of just limiting it. Organs that were stitched shut were now healing. Scars were fading as the tissue was restored to an undamaged state. He was, in effect, his own doctor. All be it through some questionable means…

* * *

Sanji, Nami, and Vivi returned from their shopping/scavenging, all a little changed from the expedition. Nami and Vivi learned a little more about the flirtatious cook, and Sanji got a load off his chest. No one had known about his past with Zeff. Even if these lovely ladies didn't get every detail, they got enough to understand him.

"Mosshead! You and I are going up the mountain!" Sanji yelled as he headed into the kitchen with the fishes, dropping them off in the fridge so he could cook we he got back.

Zoro groaned as he pushed himself up from the one handed shirtless push-ups he was getting in on the main deck. He wasn't about to mess up his training routine after all. "Why don't you go alone?!" Zoro yelled, but then saw Sanji had gone into the kitchen, out of earshot. "Bastard."

"Because you couldn't guide your way through a hallway! Now GO!" Nami yelled, her insanely loud shrill voice nearly causing Gin to fall back down into the icy waters.

"Yes Ma'am," Zoro said sarcastically as he rubbed one of his ears, feigning deafness from her loud shriek.

* * *

Some time later, back at the top of the tallest mountain in the Drum Kingdom.

Robin groaned as she started to awaken from what seemed to be days of slumber. Her body was sore, hot, and drenched in sweat. Combined with the ambient temperature well below that she was used to in Alabasta, which after years had tanned her skin to the beautiful dark it was, she could have sworn this was death. She sat up in the bed she was securely tucked in and examined her surroundings. It certainly was unsettling to wake up in a strange place after an undetermined amount of time. Especially when the bed you've slept in for years wasn't safe.

Dr. Kureha was, however, there to protect her… From herself. "Lay back down, young lady." The ancient witch told the relatively young woman, who did it at very least to humor her. She did after all seem to have either the medical experience to save her or a relationship of some kind with the person who did.

"I don't know how in the hell you managed to get a virus old as the dinosaurs, but you're lucky that friend of yours brought you here. I may have been the only one in this sea to still carry the vaccine for it. You owe him quite the thank you." Kureha said, smiling a little. She owed the kid a thank you as well. From what she heard, Dalton would have died from his wounds if they weren't mended prior to coming up the mountain. And that woman with great fashion sense that came along had given Wapol what he had coming to him.

"He's not my friend, he's my…. Wait, where are we?" Before Robin could establish what the bond between her and Luffy was, she had to know where exactly she was. Certainly not Alabasta, but that would mean they stopped… But why?

"Drum Kingdom. The newly liberated land of the Best Twenty One Doctors the world has." Kureha smiled to herself as she said it. It certainly was refreshing. "I'm Kureha. Dr. Kureha to you, Nico Robin."

Robin gritted her teeth at the sound of it. People that knew her before she introduced herself were hazardous to her health. "Yes well, thank you. Where is the boy who brought me here?" Robin asked, unsure if this doctor even knew Luffy's name.

"Last I heard, scaring the hell out of those damn kids then screaming about wanting food. So, I imagine, he's eating." She snickered, knowing someone like that would get his way.

Indeed he was. After seeing the boy munch munch on a dead man, even the newly disemboweled would have learned to cook. The least injured of the bunch raided food stores and cooked the Straw Hatted Boy a mini-feast. Mini in the sense that only he was eating. Everyone else lost their appetite for some reason or another…

"I must ask him something.." Robin said as she pushed herself up once more. Determined to get answers. How in the world did he find this miracle doctor? How long had it been? Why… Why stop for her at all? Sure, they didn't know her terrible track record, but thousands of lives were on the line back in Alabasta. She may not have had the best empathy for them, but surely the captain did. So why risk them to save her?

"Not a chance, Missy! You're not leaving here until you're well. I'll fetch him for you." Kureha said as she got up to go get the boy. She left off the part where she could leave dead, considering how close she came to it.

Robin slumped back in bed, seeing no point in arguing. Luffy coming to her was just as good as her coming to him... She looked around some more and noticed that there seemed to be a small reindeer man in the bed next to her. Peculiar.

"Is she gone..?" Chopper asked timidly from his bed, peeking up from the covers. He knew he would be yelled at eventually for what he had done, but didn't want it to be in front of a strange human.

"Yes, albeit for a moment. Who are you?" Robin asked, trying to figure out what exactly he was. She had seen enough strange things to avoid being shocked, but curiosity made the Robin cry.

"I'm Chopper. Tony Tony Chopper." The adorable little reindeer boy said, rolling over to look at his temporary roommate. Normally he'd run away and hide. But with a body wrapped in gauze, Chopper physically couldn't. Besides, this lady looked nice.

"Robin, in case you didn't hear. What happened to you?" Robin knew asking outright what he was would be a sure fire way to shut the seeming child aged deer down. Best to at least know the basics.

"Oh well. I got hurt fighting." Chopper said, rubbing his head with his hoof. "You don't wanna know what I am?" This is what confused him. Normally people would be afraid or angry, or both. But she wasn't even interested? He was interesting!

"Well yes, I do. I'd guess some kind of reindeer, but there's obviously more. Do you wish to tell me?" Robin asked, giving a small smile to go along with the warm question.

"I am a reindeer!" Chopper had been called a few different things during his life, reindeer wasn't one he heard often. "I ate the Human-Human Fruit!" He half-yelled proudly. Happy someone finally wanted to know more than how to drive him off.

"Lucky that you ate it then. God forbid some random person became even more human." Robin said, looking away and towards the door. Humanity never did her any favors.

"Well most people call me a-" Before Chopper could finish his sentence, the door was swung open, and in the doorway was the boy who had been shot. There he stood, no more hole in his stomach. In fact, he didn't even seem injured. "Monster…."

"Ah, Captain. I have some questions for you." Robin said, sitting back up once again. It was getting old by this point, so this was the last time.

Luffy smiled as he walked to her bedside. "Sure thing Robin!" He yelled happily, just glad to see she was alive.

"Why… Why did you bring me here?" Robin asked as Luffy sat on the bed. She needed to know why her life was saved.

"That weird candle guy told me this place had good doctors. Luckily he was right." Luffy's smile faded just a bit. The lucky one in that situation was Galdino, who's life was also saved by Kureha.

"No, I mean…" Robin looked over to the reindeer, not sure if she should say it in front of him. "Why did you save my life at all?"

Luffy's smile completely faded when she asked that question. His brow furrowed as he said "Why wouldn't I Robin? You're my friend."

"I'm a monster, Luffy." Robin let out with a sigh. It was time to get this out there. "If I stay with you, the World Government will find out about your power and you'll never be safe again. You or your friends." Robin bit her lip and pulled on the cover. This made twice he saved her life. He deserved to know she couldn't stay with them.

Chopper watched, hidden behind the covers. He didn't know much about these two. But he knew about being a monster. And a little about the world government. They let Wapol remain King. That's all he needed to know about them.

Luffy stared down at Robin, causing her to look down and cry. "You think staying away will keep us safe? Well what about you, Robin?!" Luffy's voice boomed in the room, causing her to look up. "You talk about putting us in danger. How we'd lose our lives. Well, what about you? What about your life?! We can keep you safe!" Luffy stood up and gripped his fists, hard. All Robin said was the danger they'd be in. Her selflessness seemed selfish.

Robin wiped away the tears. She felt so weak. Partly from her poor health, mostly from Luffy's words. He just wouldn't let her die, would he? "You can't. The World Government..." Before Robin could delve into the horribly destructive power held by the World, Kureha interrupted.

"Wants him dead anyway young lady." She said from her position at the doorway, leaving them all unsure of just how long she had been listening. "Your friend here, while trying to do the good deed of saving your life, in effect Dethroned a World Government recognized monarch. Or in other words..." The wise doctor left the rest up to the scrawny kid to figure out.

After a few moments, the admittedly dumbest person in the room blurted out "HA! See! Either way, they want me dead! I gotta fight them anyway!" Luffy yelled out this news like he just won the meat lottery. He had accidentally found a way to keep Robin. Becoming a Revolutionary!

"You… Overthrew a government for me?" Robin looked up, more than the single tear she had shed before forming. Her eyes were filling up with tears of joy.

"Well… Kinda. We helped Dalton and those guys up the mountain. But since I was carrying you I couldn't fight like I usually do. Then I got shot keeping you safe and-" Luffy's drawn out account of events was cut short when Robin pressed her lips against his.

It could have been loneliness. It could have been a delirium from recovery. It could have been her guard finally collapsing around her, but Robin felt the need to kiss him. It was the least she could offer. She had finally found where she belonged. With the Straw Hats.

"Robin-swan! Are you bet- AGH! NOT AGAIN!" Sanji yelled as he fell to the ground in agony, seeing his chances for love crumble like a glass house in a hail storm.

"Dammit, Luffy. You're gone a few hours..." Zoro sighed as he stepped over (on) the dying cook to get in the room. "We came to see what the hell was going on. Though I can't personally complain..." He looked back at the grief-stricken cook and chuckled. "Some of us are feeling differently. So try and wrap it up while we tell everyone you're okay." Zoro said as he grabbed the cook by the ankle, dragging his rigid body away.

"Shishishi. Sanji's a funny guy sometimes. You ready to go Robin?" Luffy asked, wondering if Robin was better enough to go.

"As long as I'm well," Robin said, looking up at the good doctor, who was providing a watchful eye.

"You are. But you young man! Take a seat!" Kureha said, pushing him back onto the bed. "Your friend out there, the one with Wapol's arm, wanted me to have a look at you before you go. And, seeing as we all owe her a favor, you're getting examined."

"Oh. Okay. I'll be out soon Robin." Luffy assured her with his classic smile.

"I'll be waiting Captain," Robin said with a smile, getting off the bed so Kureha could examine him. She then left the room for the sake of doctor-patient confidentiality.

"Chopper! I know you're awake so get over here and help me!" Kureha yelled over to the other bed, her motherly instincts telling her he'd been awake the entire time.

"Yes, ma'am!" Chopper yelled as he got up. His wounds weren't entirely healed, but he could still get up and move perfectly fine, as long as he didn't get another fight anytime soon.

"Stupid! Fucking! Doctors!" Alvida yelled as she smashed possessions of the former king Wapol, the only way she could vent her anger without people getting upset at her. "Permanent Scarring! I have perfect skin but a permanent fucking scar!"

Robin walked across the destroyed painting, chairs, and anything else that belonged to whoever ruled before the revolution. "So, what seems to be the problem?" Robin had nothing to do while she waited for Luffy to be examined, so she may as well chat.

"That fat fire breathing bastard!" Alvida yelled as she brought the mace down on a painting of Wapol...that was still on the wall. "He burned my arm, my beautiful arm." Alvida raised the arm in question, flashing the medium sized area where she was burned. "It was deep enough to be permanent. Permanent!"

Robin formed a small frown as she looked at the wound, requesting Alvida stick out her arm for a better look. "Does it still hurt?"

"What? No. Not enough for me to care anyway…" Alvida said, trying to play off the pain she felt.

Which is why she gripped so hard at the mace when robin ran her hand across it and found it to still be as smooth as the rest of her skin. "Intriguing. It seems to have only changed how it looked."

"I could have told you that!" Alvida yelled as quietly as she could as she jerked her arm away. "My probably is that I'm not as beautiful. How can the most beautiful woman in the world have a blemish?" Alvida asked, ignoring the fact that she was talking to another woman.

Robin didn't take it personally, however. This woman would say that to a little girl playing princess after all. "Does Luffy mind it?" Robin asked, knowing that the two of them were in a sort of polygamist relationship. Not uncommon for people low on sanity and high on power, like Pirate Kings.

"He… Doesn't know yet..." Alvida said, her mace falling to the ground in her grasp. "What will he think of it?" Alvida asked, wanting an outside opinion.

"Well, he'll either be angry at the person who did it to you, think it's very cool, or both," Robin said with a smile, reassuring the woman that Luffy would be fine with her imperfection.

"You really think he'll actually like it?" Alvida asked with the confidence of an enthralled schoolgirl.

"It's Luffy. He'll probably love battle scars." Robin responded with a smile, calming down the normally angry woman.

"Uggghhh. Look at me." Alvida said, for once not making the request for someone to gawk at her body. "I had men at my feet, now I'm driving myself mad trying to please one."

"Yes well, Luffy seems to be special in that regard. What's he have, three girlfriends? One being ex-marine, and another ex-pirate. He's certainly charming."

"Charms aren't why I'm with him! He's strong! He beat me in a fight without trying then saved my life on a whim. A man like that can make waves in the world." Alvida retorted, insulted by the idea she could just be charmed.

"Sounds like quite the man to be with," Robin said with a big smile, the type you use when you've just fed someone their words. In this case with how Alvida described a man she wanted to be with, yet being embarrassed about wanting to be with him.

"….Shut up," Alvida smirked back as she swung the mace in a circle out of habit. It seemed she did have a good reason to be so smitten. Luffy was one of a kind. "It's not like I had a lot of good options anyway. A bunch of spineless men."

"That wouldn't happen to be because you crushed their spines, would it?" Robin asked with a small giggle at her own morbid little joke.

Alvida was about to snap at her, but then realized on more than one occasion it was the truth. "Well, that doesn't matter anymore."

"Not to you, your spine hasn't been broken," Robin said with a little smile as she patted her shoulder, walking towards the exit to take a look at the environment she was in all this time.

"This isn't good at all..." Kureha mumbled as she looked at the blood sample she took of the boy. "That's way off... How is he even alive?" She asked out loud as she looked at the sample under a microscope.

"Let me look!" Chopper half yelled, wanting to see what Doctor Kureha was so worried about. To his surprise, she stepped aside to let him look.

* * *

Kureha looked at Chopper as he used the microscope. That boy and his friends saved Chopper's life, and she couldn't return the favor. "I've never seen anything like it. I can't cure him…"

Phew! Honestly thought I'd get done with this one a little faster… Oh well. Took a lot of hard work to fit in everything, and there's still people that didn't even come into this chapter. Well, the focus was shifted to Luffy not participating in a fight due to injury. Something you don't see often with a Logia, but it does happen. Next, we get to explore the disease some (not giving everything away) and the fallout of Luffy's first true act of cannibalism… Fun times!

Wacko12- At the moment, Alvida, Bellemere, and Nami. More to come, and as we can see not everyone interested in Luffy will throw themselves into the harem. But there will be more.

The Keeper of Worlds- Gut him, maybe not. Crush his balls with a giant mace of his own arm… Well, lets just say that's the start of some payback, huh? Sanji may get a girl. Their interaction was fun to write, Sanji actually insulted on his cooking. We'll just see about the fruit, though…

Lightningblade49- Well it may not have been by Luffy, but it was pretty brutal.

TBM10- Well this time, he couldn't win on his own. The surprise hit took him out of the fight. But saying he's reliant is a bit harsh. It's as much a part of him as his fist by this point. Though this will teach him a valuable lesson for the future about his belief of invincibility.

Halfrican18- I can tell you're excited. But Impel Down is farrr off right now, so pace yourself. Think about the battle with Crocodile or at latest Enel. Impel Down will definitely incorporate bigger fights, we're just not there yet.

Guest- She is in canon, yes. But the chapter explains how Bellemere wasn't the one who died for them. Genzo sacrificed himself instead.

Fencer22- Your criticism has been taken and will be used. Though in my defense, only Bellemere has had sex with Luffy so far. The actual relationships will be diving into now that we're little ways away from the next big bout of fighting.

Redery- Haha, filling the Reviews up for little ol' me? Going to tackle a few. He has turned into a cannibal, my apologies. The Crocodile fight is going to be very different, and difficult. He'll be Luffy's toughest enemy. Yes, Bellemere is alive. Shook up canon quite a bit there. And we can see from flashbacks she was a bit more of a perv than most. As for the Devil Fruit… I get that some people don't like it. Roger being a total badass on his own is a good way to think of him, but let's face it. Most of the time it's at least partly a DF Power's help. And Luffy hasn't had a first in Canon yet, so any person could be. Except for Ace...That's his brother you monsters! (Not really monsters, just not my thing.)


	17. New Doctor Aboard! Meeting a Ballerina!

Woah! That took a LOOONG Time. I am so sorry to you guys about that. Between the Summer Break, Vacation, and some important family issues I've been pulled at all ends about time to write on this. (The first two may sound like they free up time, but it's surprisingly rare.) So I'd like to start off with an apology that you've all had to wait so long. But, uh. Enjoy!

* * *

"What do you mean Doctor?! Nothing is incurable!" Chopper yelled defiantly, going against his very nature by defying Kureha's medical knowledge.

"This isn't the same Chopper. I've never seen cells do this to one another. I don't have a single treatment for it." Kureha explained somberly. Truth was, she hated this as much as him. She had only lost one person before this since she became a doctor, and he was in comparatively better shape.

"Than make one! They saved our lives!" Chopper shifted into his human-hybrid form to get to the higher shelves. He grabbed down all the medical books he had in that room, with some being left all over. "Cellular Cannibalism…" That was the best term Chopper could think of for what he saw. That human's cells were destroying each other, then assimilating the parts. But it had no rhyme or reason. Healthy cells destroying healthy cells.

"There isn't anything in there Chopper. Not like this anyway…" Kureha took the books away from him one by one as he snatched them to flip through. "The best we could do is keep him under our care to study." Kureha suggested, giving alternative solutions to her distressed student.

"Robin! Alvida! Guys! Let's Go!" Luffy yelled from just outside. These guys were shooting him some weird looks, and it was getting old. It wasn't his fault he lost the fight! That was a total cheap-shot!

Alvida and Robin heard the yell and started heading back, a smile on each of their faces. They had started some sort of friendship. One based on destruction and scars, but hey, it was a start. "We're ready when you are, Captain."

"Hey did either of you see that raccoon dog? It looked so cool!" Luffy said as he walked towards the exit with them, wanting to talk about the cool monster he saw fight, then again when he needed examining for whatever reason.

"Wait right there!" Kureha yelled as she rushed from the room. She thought she heard someone yell that they were leaving, and no one else had any plans to do that. "Where do you think you're going young man? I haven't discharged you yet!" Kureha yelled, trying to scare the boy into getting back here for a discussion.

"So?" Luffy asked, sending a shiver down the spine of every native in the room. They knew you were completely healed before you left her care. Or she'd make sure you needed even more of it…

"So, if you have to go so badly..." Kureha took a deep breath and tried to think. She couldn't get the boy to stay, even if she was scary. This boy had a strong will and a chronic disease. "You'll need a doctor to accompany you."

Luffy, surprisingly enough, gave it some thought. They were in need of a doctor. Kaya could help for cuts and maybe even a broken bone, but pirates weren't exactly known to stop there. Bullet wounds, deep lacerations, multiple broken bones, and as seen here, debilitating diseases all needed the care of a trained doctor. On the other hand… "No way are you coming with us crazy old lady!" Luffy yelled out, his mind made up.

Kureha responded in the matter you may expect from a woman of her stature. She threw something. A heavy vase to be exact, clocking the surprised boy in the head. It was enough to knock him on his ass, albeit for just a moment. He didn't have time to shift into his logia form to avoid the flying art, as he didn't expect a doctor to actively try to injure him. "Not me you little brat! I have a perfectly trained doctor I'm willing to let accompany you." With that, Kureha stepped aside.

"Umm… Hi." Chopper, the tiny hat wearing reindeer said with a little timid wave, a doctor's bag filled with some medical supplies to set up on the ship in one hand. The last time he had been around this many people, discounting the recent fight, they shot at him and called him a monster. It was odd to not be in his natural form around them.

"Aww. He's so cute." Alvida said, putting her hand out to try and call him to her like a dog, which made Chopper furrow his brow.

"Agreed. A cute little ball of fluff." Robin seconded, though show the same treatment to an obviously sentient creature. Seeing as he was apparently the trained doctor the woman mentioned.

"That bad-ass monster thing's also a doctor?! So cool!" Luffy's eyes twinkled like stars. That was like, a great combination of brains and brawn. "Hey, tanuki! What's your name?!"

"I'm a reindeer! Look at the horns!" Chopper yelled angrily, though it wasn't threatening at all to the trio. "I'm Tony Tony Chopper, and I ate the Human-Human Fruit. So… I'm a Reindeer Person. And I'm also a Doctor! And… I wanna join your crew!" Chopper instinctively felt wrong. He was joining a bunch of humans. But it was to do the impossible. His dream. To honor his father's belief. No disease is incurable.

"Awesome! Reindeer Doctor!" Luffy screamed and laughed with joy as he spun around. This had to make his crew the coolest!

"You… You don't care that I'm a monster?" Chopper couldn't believe they said yes. He expected to be turned away. Kept from his dream because he was a…

"Hahaha! You? A monster?!" Alvida started to laugh, doubling over in fact. She couldn't believe her ears. This adorable little thing tried to call itself a monster? "Do you realize who you're talking to? Have you even seen this guy?" She pointed to the dancing boy in a straw hat, who looked like he won a shopping spree in a candy store.

"Huh? He's just a normal person..." Chopper said, unsure of what had made the lady laugh so much. The man before him looked, if anything, less intimidating than some others he'd seen. He wasn't too tall, he was scrawny, and he had a very jolly demeanor.

"That is far from accurate. If Luffy wanted to, he could kill everyone on this island then feast off their bodies to make himself deadlier for future enemies." Robin corrected the poor misinformed dear boy, though it was loud enough for the entire room to hear, and quake with fear. They saw him eat someone, happily, just moments ago. They were afraid he would do it to everyone. A second devastating pirate attack...

"Yup!" Luffy said, smiling wide at the bragging they did for him. "Let's go outside and I'll show you." Luffy motioned for the cool doctor deer to follow him outside. Not wanting the entire place to collapse with fear. They already got a good show from his feast.

Chopper and Kureha followed, both out of some sense of curiosity. Most everyone else was keen to stay put, and let the crazy cannibal do what he wanted far away from them. But Dalton wanted to see exactly what this boy was capable of…

"How to show off..." Luffy dredged through the snow, thinking of ways to show off just how monstrous he was. Then it hit him! Not an idea, a giant rabbit.

"GRRRAWWW!" The giant white rabbit left its mark on Luffy as he was pushed back in the snow, heels digging through. He didn't shift forms, but then he didn't need to. He was much stronger than the creature, despite its stature. All he got was a sore forearm from blocking the brunt of the swing. Though from the look of it, there was a dozen or so more.

"Don't hurt them!" Chopper yelled, not wanting any of the three to attack the wild animals. "They probably just heard the fighting! Let me talk to them!" Chopper did not want the lapahn's hurt. They were acting off their instinct, albeit their violent instinct.

"I won't kill them," Luffy said, uncrossing his arms. Technically it wasn't what Chopper said, but the best way to restrain them and show off his power would definitely do some harm. He stuck out his hands and dropped a finger, causing one of the animals to collapse to the ground, seemingly pined. "Chi-Chi Marionette." One by one his fingers fell, a theatrical representation of what he was doing. The blood of the animals was forced down and forwards, making them fall on their faces in their bodies way of avoiding being ripped apart.

"How did you do that?!" Chopper yelled as Kureha watched silently, taking in the information given to them.

"It was easy. I'm a Blood Man." Luffy said before dropping all of his fingers at once, causing the frozen Lapahns to fall violently to the ground.

Chopper, Kureha, and the unseen Dalton stared wide-eyed at the spectacle. This boy just did what an entire town would be needed to do, and he did it effortlessly. It was almost as terrifying as the skimpy one's reaction.

Alvida hit the unaware Luffy in the back of the head. While it didn't do any real damage, it left a decent whelp since he didn't know to defend against it. "Why didn't you do that during the fight you jackass?! I got permanently scarred doing something you consider a parlor trick!"

"Hey! I had an arrow in my stomach!" Luffy defended as he rubbed the knot forming on his head. They were always superficial, but they sure did sting.

"Pff. A real man would've still protected his woman." Alvida said, looking away from Luffy with her head pointed up towards the sky.

"If what I heard was true, he was protecting me," Robin said with a smirk, wanting to poke some fun at the unreasonably mad woman. The smirk didn't even leave when Alvida shot her a piercing death stare.

"If you two girls wouldn't mind tearing away from each others' throats..." Kureha pointed to Chopper, who was running towards the downed killer rabbits.

"Calm down! It's okay, the fighting is over." Chopper said repeatedly, trying to calm down the herd of lapahns.

"Rawrrrr! Raw Raawwrrrr!" The Lapahn yelled, or for non-animal speaking people. "Fat Man! He Must Die!"

"He's gone. No more fat man." Chopper assured them, looking back to Luffy. "These people got rid of him."

"Oh no. Lump us all in, it was all equal." Alvida grumbled sarcastically, thinking her contribution was being marginalized by not being the main focus.

"So are they going to attack or..." Luffy didn't really know when to let these dozen giant rabbits with the strength of ten men go. Sure, they seemed a little happier. But they could still tear apart just about anyone here with extreme-

"Let them go." Chopper yelled back.

"Okay!" Luffy let them go without another thought on the matter. He may have been too quick to follow orders…

But luckily, it didn't backfire. The lapahns pushed themselves up and looked at Luffy, who stared back at them. Then they looked down at the reindeer. "Rawwrrrr! Rawrrr. Rawr."

"Yeah, kinda… But I don't think you're one to judge on that." Chopper said, scratching his head a bit, unsure if he should be saying that.

"Rawwwrrrrr." The lapahn replied, turning around and walking back down the edge of the mountain with the rest of its kind.

"Hey what did that thing just say?" Luffy asked, rushing up out of curiosity.

"Oh uh. Nothing..." Chopper said, putting on a big fake smile. "Hey, we were talking about something! I wanna be your doctor!" He yelled, throwing Luffy off the topic of the Lapahn's parting words.

"Oh yeah… I think its cool! Right guy...girls?" Luffy corrected himself as he turned around to look at the two with him. It wasn't really to get permission, more to see if they agreed with what he found cool. Perks of being the captain!

"Well, we do need a doctor if we plan to go any further," Robin answered, showing the intellectual stance on the matter.

"Screw that. Mascot!" Alvida chimed in, showing the… Luffy-er side of the matter.

"Than it's settled! Welcome to the crew, Chopper!" Luffy yelled, arms spread out and a big smile on his face.

"Thank you, Luffy!" Chopper said, shifting to his heavy point to give his new captain a hug. Together, he and his new friends headed to the lift to head down…

While Dalton stepped out from hiding and was greeted by Kureha.

"So. That's the kind of power kids these days throw around. Think you're starting to get old." Kureha said with a smirk, jabbing at the middle-aged bison.

"Me? You're at least a hun..." Dalton quickly realized this conversation would not end his favor, and switched topics. "Either that, or he's one of the more dangerous ones out there." Dalton's voice quivered a bit with that. He considered Wapol a deadly threat, the most difficult he had faced in fact. But if that boy wasn't trying to protect that awfully familiar looking woman, Wapol would have been literally eviscerated in moments. "Do we stand a chance in the long run?"

"Don't ask me, King. You know worrying about the future is for the old." Kureha said, walking over to the man and pulling back his coat. She took the explosives strapped onto him off with scary confidence. "I need these for a little something. I'd say it's borrowing, but there are not many ways to get these back after." With that, she started walking away.

Dalton stared in horror at his chest as she walked away. They could have blown them both to bits! After the battle was already won! "What do you think you're doing?!" He yelled the only words he was able to muster after nearly exploding.

"I'm keeping an old dream alive you thick skulled bastard," Kureha said as she marched on with a purpose. A purpose that just so happened to need heavy explosives. For at least two reasons…

* * *

Chopper, Luffy, Alvida, and Robin rode the lift down together. During the ride, Chopper couldn't help but look up at the new friends he had made. "So… How many are on your crew?"

"Our crew." Luffy corrected with a smile, then began counting in his head to give him a response.

Robin, however, finished that thought for him. "Seven not counting ourselves. Zoro, the swordsman. Usopp, the liar, I mean sniper. Kaya the nurse. Nami the thief. Bellemere, her mother, and a former Marine. Gin the former pirate. And last Sanji, the cook.

* * *

Back on the ship…

"GAHHH!" Sanji yelled as he fell over, grasping his chest.

"What's wrong?" Nami asked, a bit aloof. Sanji never needed a good reason to act like a dumbass, so why think now was an exception?

"I felt… I felt myself being considered…. Last."

* * *

Back where the people in First were….

"But we also have an assortment of captives and friends whom we are giving a lift." Robin continued, hearing a loud cry of pain had brought a small smile to her face that caused her a pause.

"Oh… That's a lot of people..." Chopper twiddled his hooves at the idea of being around that many… "Captives?!"

"Oh, nothing drastic. Just some people who tried to murder us." Alvida said, wanting to scare the cute little fuzz ball a little more.

"But they failed, which is why they're captive," Robin reassured the poor little reindeer, patting him on the shoulder to calm him down.

"And because you wouldn't let me drink the weird one's blood," Luffy added, crossing his arms in annoyance by the fact that he didn't get to kill that one that kept pissing him off.

"And that, yes. But the child and the woman are just fine, right?" Robin asked, wanting Luffy to show at least an ounce of some compassion in front of the child.

"Huh? Well duh! She's harmless enough, and I'm not gonna hit the girl. Alvida would maybe..." Luffy looked at Alvida, who seemed to smile at the seeming duty to hit children… She'd be a great nanny.

"Point being, we haven't needlessly executed anyone." Robin summarized, growing tired of having to juggle what these two said.

"Well uh… No, that one was needed." Luffy caught himself before stepping off the lift. "Now come on, I want Meat!" Luffy's voice dropped a bit at the word meat. He was really enthusiastic about it. Mainly because he was still capable of breathing and any higher brain function.

* * *

The four rushed back to the ship, three of them chasing their captain. He was going it back to the boat in a little over a minute at this rate. "I'm gonna kick his ass! Making us run after all that fighting I had to do!"

"Well to be fair, he was shot in the chest and was just fine afterwords… Luffy! How did you get injured by the arrow and not that bullet?" Robin yelled ahead to Luffy, causing him to slow down so he could explain. She had just remembered the bullet to the chest he took to save her life just a few days ago.

"Huh? Well, that's an easy one to explain actually. The bullet just hit me in the bones. It hurt worse than a love punch, but I didn't think I'd die. Just move the bones back in place. But I took that arrow right in the gut, and organs aren't that strong." Luffy explained with a tone that said he'd been shot before. Not something you'd expect really…

"That's. Really. Interesting." Alvida panted as she pushed up off the mace. "But I don't care." After being so fat for so long, she wasn't exactly good at a lot of running. "If I'm not sipping a cocoa in five minutes, no doctor will fix what I do to you." She was also really tired of the cold after all the time in East Blue.

"Sanji! Cocoa for the ladies!" Luffy yelled to the ship. This served a few purposes. It let everyone know they were back, it made sure all the women got a refreshing warm beverage, and it kept Alvida's new mace from being shoved somewhere the sun did not often shine.

"Right away!" Sanji yelled back as he headed for the kitchen. Scrounging for the cocoa he had kept specifically for such an occasion. He was determined to make it perfect this time! The beautiful yellow rose below deck would certainly enjoy this chocolate treat!

"And meat for me! Bah, he didn't hear me..." Luffy yelled, then murmured as the chef slipped into the kitchen. Luffy grabbed Robin and Chopper then jumped up on the ship. He would've grabbed Alvida too, but she was angry and slippery. "Robin, can you go ask him for some meat?" Luffy asked, knowing Sanji would cook some for her.

"Of course captain. But if we run out of food, it will be on you." Robin said as she sauntered away, wanting Luffy to feel responsible for the food stores on the ship.

"I only eat the meat! You guys can live on the green stuff..." Luffy said, turning away from her as he defended his point, knowing deep down how it sounded.

"Do… Do you call vegetables the green stuff?" Chopper asked, horribly disgusted by his new captain's dietary habits. He must be suffering from all kinds of vitamin deficiencies!

"Yeah. They're gross unless you put them on meat." Luffy responded like a stubborn five-year-old as he walked to the middle of the ship. "Hey, guys! We have a doctor!" Luffy roared out to the crew.

Everyone rushed to see who he was talking about. Alvida was bringing up the rear, as usual. But no one else was there. Except a…

"Monst-!" Usopp began to yell before his jaw was slammed shut by forces beyond his control. His captain.

"This is Chopper! He's a talking deer doctor! Isn't that cool?!" Luffy bragged on Chopper, wanting everyone to like him. He shut Usopp's big mouth up before he could hurt his feelings.

"H-hi..." Chopper said timidly. He was once again surrounded by humans, and he didn't like it. The three on the trip here were bad enough. Now it was nearly a dozen.

"Thank God. We have a guy with a cracked skull and a dozen splinters in the infirmary. Think you could give Kaya a hand?" Bellemere asked, just relieved to have some help. Her years with the Marines and the time she spent living under the rule of talking fish people had more or less softened her up to the idea of talking deer.

"What?! Were you guys attacked?! Who else is injured?!" Chopper had a dozen questions to ask. He hadn't been on this ship five minutes and he already had to save someone's life. How dangerous was it to be a pirate?

"Attacked? No no no. I think Luffy punched his head through a wall or something." Bellemere said with the same tone as if she had said they were having fish for dinner.

Chopper gulped and looked at the smiling raven-haired boy as he poked the long nosed guy who's jaw was now dropped instead of slammed shut. He was going to give him a lot of work to do… With that, Chopper went to help this Kaya person with the injured man.

* * *

"What am I doing this for?" Dalton asked as he shoved an extremely large cannon outside. The damn thing must have been a ton. Why did they even have this?!

"The crazy old kook you let die. Now shut up and push." Kureha said as she looked over the edge of the mountain at the pier. She could faintly see a boat that didn't belong to anyone. With any luck, he would see this.

"How many times. Do I have to tell you? I couldn't stop him. He was an admirable man." Dalton was successfully guilted out of complaining but now felt the need to defend himself. Hiriluk was a bit mad, but he loved this country more than anyone.

"I know. That's why our new symbol is his Jolly Roger." Kureha stated matter-of-factly. She already had the flag at the top of the tower replaced by a terrified resident of the island known for his climbing skills. She hoped that bastard Wapol was still in pain for destroying Hiriluk's flag… The pain Chopper suffered… "But this is about his life's work. So load in the powder."

"Are you going to tell me what this mystery project does?" Dalton asked, fetching the gunpowder for the cannon.

"You'll see in a moment. It'll make a good sendoff." Kureha replied. Taking a deep breath as she looked at the cure for this country's illness, as Hiriluk would have called it.

* * *

"You've been making snowmen without me?!" Luffy yelled, frightening Usopp for a moment.

"Well you were gone, and I wanted to show off to Kaya. Do you know how often we get snow back in Syrup Village? We don't. You don't make syrup in the cold." Usopp replied, shutting down Luffy's pettiness.

"Well, mine will be better!" Luffy said as he started to gather up the snow. Luckily a lot was accumulating since it seemed to always snow here.

"They're certainly going to be different." Robin commented as she looked towards the mountains. "Do you know what that is, Doctor?" She asked Chopper, who had checked on Galdino and was now trying to make a snowman. But, you know. Hooves.

"What are you talking abo-" Chopper was cut off by the most beautiful sight he had ever laid his eyes upon. At least until he made his way to a giant elephant… The sky had been transformed into a gorgeous shade of pink. Some kind of powder had been fired from the castle, making it look as if it were being covered by…

"Lily petals?" Nami asked, looking at the colored snow as it fell from the sky. She knew better than to think the snow had changed in a literal sense, but it looked startlingly similar to the beautiful flower petals.

"Wow… Amazing." Vivi said, speaking for the trio. She and Igaram had never seen anything like this, and going by Miss Monday's reaction, neither had she.

Sanji brought the cocoas out to the ladies. He stopped for just a moment to take in the sight, but then remembered why there was an extra one. He rushed below deck to fetch the lemon beauty and brought her up to the deck.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! It's freezing out here!" She yelled angrily as she first felt the bite of the cold air. She didn't agree to work as an assassin out of Alabasta because she liked the cold. But losing a toe may have been worth it… "Wow..." she cooed as she saw the only snow she ever cared to see. It was made bearable by the cocoa...which still sucked, but he was getting better. Slightly…

Catherine looked up from her tea to enjoy the sight as well. The color would be great to add to her palette. But what would pink do to a person… She'd need to give it some thought as she sipped her tea.

Chopper was a sobbing mess by the time everyone finished their thoughts. Because only he and Kureha knew what this meant… "D-doctor!" He cried up to the mountain. Making it a message to the living and the dead. "Your dream has come true! Now!… Now I'll make mine come true! I'll make you proud!" Chopper fell to his knees and put his face against the floor. Hiding his sobbing face from his human crewmates.

Most of the women, and Usopp… Couldn't help but well up at the emotional moment as well. Though unclear of what exactly it was about, they could feel the emotional tole weighing on the poor boy, and it weighed on them too.

Luffy let them all have their cries. Mainly because he needed to fully enjoy the cool pink snow. But after a good fifteen minutes or so, he got their attention. "Come on guys! We're not done yet! We got to go to… Vivi's Island!" He had already forgotten the name of the place, but it was important enough to care about.

"You heard him!" Bellemere yelled before wiping away a tear and sniffing hard. "We're setting off! Damn snow in my eyes..." She made up an excuse as she got everyone to their stations.

A long night and day had passed rather uneventfully. Training was done by the combat oriented members of the crew. Usopp had successfully made a few more shots for Gin's strange weapon, to his relief. Valerie was given more freedom since she got downgraded from threat to...mouth to feed. And Vivi was a nervous wreck...

Vivi walked up to see the captain. Igaram was better, but she had found something from a newspaper in town she needed to bring up to him… "Umm. Captain Luffy." She said, trying to get his attention. Though Carue was doing a better job.

"Oh. Hey, Vivi. Hey fish bait." Luffy said with a little laugh as they approached. Carue was still upset over that…

"Well, there's good news… It seems. It seems both sides are at a stalemate. Neither is making a move. We. We may still make it in time." Vivi said with a smile as she handed him the paper.

Luffy looked at the paper for a moment before it was taken by a phantom limb and passed over to Robin, who was in her chair. "Hmm… I suspected this would happen."

"Expected what would happen?" Vivi asked, concerned with what knowledge Miss All… Robin could have that involved her country.

"Crocodile. He's effectively halting the Civil War." Robin asserted, rather sure of it given the information available. The Rebels had gathered thousands of soldiers and greatly outnumbered the guard, but hadn't made a move.

"What?! How could he be doing that?!" Vivi asked with shouts, shocked and furious by the very idea.

"Crocodile has been planning this for years. Some of the higher ups on either side are Baroque Works Agents. He wouldn't risk the War breaking out before it was most useful to him." Robin said as she handed the paper back to Luffy to read.

"And when is that…?" The points she had given were terrifying enough to be real. But it left one even more horrifying unanswered.

"When he gets me back. I'm the only one who can give him what he wants." Robin said as she grabbed one of her books. Ready to wrap this conversation up.

"What?! What does he want?!" Vivi yelled creeping towards a state of desperation. Crocodile had her entire country wrapped around his finger, all for his own twisted desire. Something only she could give him.

"The Ancient Weapon that resides in your country." Robin answered as she found where she was in her book. This had been the goal for Crocodile for years now, so Robin was used to the idea of him trying to claim it. Though she knew she'd never give it to him. She wouldn't die giving that bastard one of the most powerful weapons on the planet.

Vivi's, Igaram's, and even Carue's pupils shrank to the size of pinpoints when they heard this. Wanting their treasury, that was bad. Wanting their kingdom, that was horrifying. Wanting one of the Ancient Weapons…

"What the hell is an Ancient Weapon?" Luffy asked as he dropped the paper. He heard the part about a weapon and got interested in why this Gator guy wanted it.

"Imagine the most devastating thing you can think of, multiply by three, and you my be in the range of an Ancient Weapon's power." Robin said to try and get Luffy's scaling right.

"Three of Nami's punches..." Luffy muttered, rubbing his head where he had been hit. It was more of the joke since he had literally been shot in the stomach earlier. He too was in aww of the kind of power that offered.

"Does. Does that mean you know where it is?!" Vivi exploded. Her gears finally turning again. If she could give him the Ancient Weapon, that had to mean she knew where it was.

"Not quite. I know how to find out. If Crocodile is right, your Poneglyph holds the location the Old Ones stored the weapon. Unfortunately, that's what I'm likely to find when I read it." Robin said, sighing a little. Her hopes of finding the Rio Poneglyph there were slim.

"When?! You. You can't! If that power were to fall into the hands of someone like Crocodile..." Vivi was in tears. Her country was the tinder that could set the world on fire if Crocodile's plan had succeeded. Even if it didn't, nothing was stopping him from burning down her country anyway.

"I'd never let Crocodile have it. But I must read it." Robin stood from her seat to take her reading to a more private location. One where she could think. "I'm sure Luffy will have killed him by the time I get to anyway." Robin said, leaving on that note so Luffy could get their attention.

"Yeah!" He yelled, happy that Robin would have faith in him to kick that guy's ass. His rowdy outburst provided Robin with enough distraction to slip away and finish her reading. "Hey, Vivi. What's this Crocodile guy like anyway?"

Vivi turned her attention away from the cryptic woman for a moment and put it on the man who she was confident could kill Crocodile. It would help if he knew a few things about him. "He's an arrogant bastard who's been pulling the wool over the eyes of my people for nearly half a decade. But I suppose you only care about how strong he is..." Vivi sighed, knowing that getting people to listen to her about Crocodile's vile nature would be difficult.

"Well, it's kinda important." Luffy said, oversimplifying something as important as knowing who you're fighting.

"Well, he's powerful. He became a Warlord before I was even bored, and has stayed one for all this time. But most importantly, he's a Logia. Not exactly like you..." Vivi glanced at the man who could manipulate something as powerful as the blood in her body. "But one that's extremely deadly in a desert country… He's a Sand Logia."

Luffy blinked a few times. That was a lot of information for him to process. He, quite literally, couldn't remember fighting a Logia. Just something vague about a smoker… But still, that meant this guy would have just as much trouble fighting him! "Don't worry Vivi. I'll knock this Sand-Man out cold!" Luffy said, snickering to a joke only he knew. But he couldn't remember what he knew it from…

"Thank you, Luffy. I'm. I'm glad you're on our side." Vivi said, feeling a weight off her shoulders at his confidence. If Crocodile had recruited him… That was a thought she didn't need rattling around in her head. "I think I'll get some sleep before we get there. I doubt I'll get another chance." With that, Vivi left to get a good nap in before seeing her homeland.

"Okay. Goodmorning Vivi!" Luffy yelled with a goodbye wave. He didn't really get that goodnight was for whenever a person goes to sleep, regardless of the time. But it made more sense to say good morning! It was morning! Very, very early morning…

* * *

After their talk, Luffy and Usopp decided to fish for their breakfast. Since Sanji was being stingy with the food again… Come on? Who wants to lock up the fridge? Oh well. Just meant they had to catch more food.

"Hey uh, shouldn't we be steering away from that?" Alvida asked the obvious question as the ship sailed closer to a massive area of smoke in the middle of the ocean. Thanks to the aide of herself and a certain older marine woman, they saved a couple hours sailing time.

"It's just steam from an underwater volcano." Nami stated, hoping it would alleviate her worries. "It's harmless as long as we get in and out quickly." She assured her, though failed to tell the rest of the crew that, or something arguably more important.

"Oh god, that smell! It's horrible!" Was the resounding call throughout the deck. The entire crew covered their eyes and noses. The sane ones rushed into the kitchen to escape. Luffy and Usopp kept fishing...with Carue as bait.

"Luffy! I think we caught something!" Usopp coughed as they managed to clear the steam. The weight on the line drastically increased. He really didn't want to find out what kind of fish lived in that area…

As it turned out, no fish did. Grasping Carue wasn't a monstrous lava fish, but instead a… Ballerina?

The mysterious ballerina surveyed his surrounding from atop the duck that had been floating in front of him. He couldn't see his ship anywhere in sight, and he was dangling off the edge of a ship. "I should really stop grabbing every duck I see..." The stranger said to himself as the situation hit him. Looking up he saw a couple of strangers. One whom he swore he saw the face of before…. "Bwah!" He remembered, and let go of the duck in fear. It was at this moment that he knew, he fucked up. "Help!" He yelled as he crashed into the water. "Can't Swim!"

"Usopp! Get the weird guy!" Luffy yelled as he pushed Usopp over the edge of the boat, pulling Carue up past him so he couldn't grab onto him and avoid saving that guy.

"Dammit, Luffy!" Usopp yelled, falling down into the water completely against his free will. He fell right on top of the strange ballerina and clung to him for support. Which was a lot lie clinging to a glider in a tornado, but a lot closer to gripping an anchor in the ocean. Luckily Nami had the good sense to throw them a rope, then have Luffy pull them up.

Soon after, Usopp and the stranger were dripping wet with sea water in the middle of the deck, Usopp shooting an angry glare at Luffy for doing something so damn rude. Finally, the stranger spoke up. "Thank you all so much! I thought I was going to drown! Now um, would you mind bringing me some soup?"

"No!" The entire crew yelled in unison. They had just saved his life and now he had the gall to ask for some damn soup?!

"Oh, well thank you anyway." The curious stranger said, wiping away some of the sea-water still on his face. "Saved by strangers… Pirate strangers by the look of it." The man said, looking up at the flag. "I'll never forget this kindness. In fact, I should give you something as a show of gratitude."

"Money?!" Nami asked with a yell, eyes turning into Beli.

"Food?!" Luffy yelled, salivating like a Saint Bernard.

"Entertainment!" The Ballerina said, before shoving a palm into Luffy's face, sending him flying backward from the surprise smack.

Everyone stared in shock. In unison Zoro and Gin drew their weapons, preparing to attack.

"Wait you guys!" Luffy yelled. Well, they thought it was Luffy, but it was coming from… "I told you it was just entertainment!" The hand moved away, and they could all see Luffy's face on the ballerina, body too.

"Wow! That's me!" Luffy yelled in surprise at seeing his unreflected face. "That's so cool!" He exclaimed as he walked closer, looker at the finer details.

"That's right! When I touch my face with my left hand." The stranger shifted back to normal. "But with my right..." He touched his face again, shifting back to Luffy form. He walked over and touched the faces of everyone down there. Zoro, Usopp, Nami, Bellemere, Gin, Chopper, and even Alvida, though his hand slipped off. "I didn't need to slap you either, that was just part of the entertainment." He laughed with Luffy's voice.

"That's really interesting actually." Nami said, surprised that his trick would entertain her so much.

The stranger, however, could feel the surprise emanate from her, and decided to go further. He touched his face with his right hand and became Nami. "I also take on the body of the person too." With that, he, now she, flashed the crew.

Nami and Bellemere were mortified. Alvida was unimpressed. Chopper was unaffected since Nami was human. Usopp shot blood from his nose, while Gin and Zoro made sure to hold theirs shut since they knew what was about to happen.

Usopp was punched to the floor by Luffy, who was not happy about Usopp gocking at his girlfriend. Especially while he had one of his own! He was at least kind enough to return the blood back to him, so there was that.

Nami and Bellemere went to hit the stranger on the head in unison, leaving two huge whelps on his head. "Don't you dare flash people with my/her body!" They yelled almost in unison.

"Ow! Fine!" With that, the mystery man changed to Luffy and stood back up. "I'll return the favor then." He said, opening pulling down his pants to flash the ladies.

Blood shot this time from Nami and Alvida's noses. Where as Bellemere was a little less surprised, for whatever reason…

"Mr. 2" Robin called from above deck, wiping her nose. "I see you've met most of the Straw Hats." She said, walking towards the stairs very calmly.

"M-miss All Sunday!" Mr. 2 said, pulling his pants back up and stepping back. "I had heard word you may have deserted…" He said, gulping hard at the thought of fighting her.

"Hmm? No no. I'm on my way to Alabasta now in fact." She said, walking towards the middle of the crew. "I just so happened to come across these pirates and was in need of a ride. They were heading that direction anyway so I thought, why not." Robin said, like a liar.

"Oh. Well, that's refreshing news… Did you say Straw Hat pirates?" Mr. 2 doubled back as he looked over the crew again. Yes, he knew he saw some of them somewhere before. The distinct green hair, and of course the Straw Hat… "Weren't they the ones from the East Blue?"

"Who virtually wiped out the pirate presence? Yes. They, or rather He." Robin commented, pointing at Luffy himself. "Took out both Don Krieg and Arlong." While the former wasn't a huge accomplishment, the latter was.

With that, Mr. 2 touched his face with his left hand and changed back to his original form. He didn't feel comfortable in the body of someone that wanted by the world. Long nose maybe, he didn't look memorable. "Well… I'm sure they're going to be a valuable asset, working for Mr.0" Mr. 2 commented, looking them over.

It was a group effort to keep Luffy from shooting his mouth off and ruining Robin's plan. He wanted to yell out, saying he'd kick that guy's ass rather than serve under him. But fortunately, they were able to cover his mouth and whisper at him to shut up before the ballerina saw.

"Indeed. Now, I believe that's your ride." Robin said, pointing at the approaching ship. "Do send my regards to Mr.0. He must be aggravated with my delay."

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the desert city of Alabasta…

"I have spent years. Years of my time and money spent. Now, the one piece I can't afford to lose is nowhere to be found and time is running out. I'm going to TURN THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY BACK INTO SAND!" The mysterious dark-haired man with a huge facial scar yelled as he threw his entire desk across the room in a rage.

* * *

"That's… A word for it, sure. I'll give him your message, Miss All Sunday." Mr. 2 said as he boarded his swan boat, waving goodbye to them all. "Thank you all so much for everything you've done! I know this is sad, but do not forget. The time we have spent together… Will seal our bond of friendship forever!" Mr. 2 declared as he wiped a tear away. Several of the Straw Hats did the same in unison, even after knowing he would be an enemy.

After that, Mr. 2's crew unfurled the sails and gained speed, heading to Alabasta much faster than the Going Merry. But that gave them time to discuss what just occurred.

"So. That guy was one of those agents for Baroque Works?" Nami asked Robin, who had stayed to fill them all in.

"Yes. You saw his power to clone. I know the power of every agent, and now, we need to come up with a plan for them."

* * *

Okay. We've wrapped up Drum Island, Met Mr. 2, and are now officially beginning the Alabasta (Specific to the island) Arc. A big thank you to all you guys and girls in the support. 130K+ Views. Nearing 1K Favs and Alerts. Seriously, you're all awesome. Now, on to the reviews in which I get shouted at and chewed out.

The Keeper of Worlds- Why thank you. Wapol's DF was one that caught my interests so many years ago when I first saw it. I mean, he can become/partially become whatever he eats. Stands to reason if he ate someone, he could get back say, an organ. Of course, something like a brain wouldn't be possible, but any of the lesser organs could definitely be possible.

Lightningblade49- Logia users are only immune if they shift into their Logia forms. Luffy was so focused on saving his friend, he didn't focus on phasing. So that arrow hit him like he was a normal person, and as you've seen, normal people don't withstand the anime violence as well in my stories.

Guest- Well Luffy, in his Logia form, can both heat up and freeze faster than he would otherwise be able to. Water is just kind of dynamic like that. While yes, it would take a lot of heat to turn Sand (Croc) into glass, Fire is the main way heat is given off. I believe the hottest fire we've created is in the 10,000 F range, where as sand MELTS at 3000F. (By comparison, Lava is 2000~F) While yes, Ace probably didn't get a chance to hit these temperatures, and Sabo may not because plot walls, he could in theory easily melt Crocodile. As well as most things around him, if he used something like Flame Commandment.

al- Well Luffy couldn't really "push out" the alcohol because of how it soaks into blood cells. Not to mention the fact that he was in active combat, and wouldn't have had the focus to do something so complex. As well he couldn't do the same with Poison either. He could more easily "Tourniquet" but he doesn't possess the necessary receptors to know exactly which blood cells contain poison and or alcohol.

Guest- Luffy can use any and all types of blood for a short period of time. The problem would only occur if he were to try and use the Animal/Wrong Blood for a more permanent sense. Luffy needs his blood type, or O. O is, luckily, the most common. So he can obtain large portions of blood, but not all of it. Hope that cleared it up a bit.

Talosen- Firstly, Chi Chi can refer to quite a few things across various languages. I understand some people may have a problem with it's homonym status, but 1) Bit too late to change it and 2) I address with the title and opener, it's Chi as in Blood. Secondly, yes. Those 3 are going to be awful to fight for Luffy, but remember that he can negate Logia powers. He just doesn't know it...yet. Thirdly, that's right. Haki users are going to be able to negate the effects of Luffy's Blood Manipulation.

Camdawg- Haven't decided yet, we'll see.

Arckane- Sorry you feel that way. The sadistic, smarter, cannibalistic, bestial Luffy is the way I would like him to be. Sorry, he's not the exact opposite.

NightmareKnight1- I may do a poll about this after the Alabasta Arc, for the sake of future readers. Also, I see the reasoning behind the Bomu Bomu. Zoro won't be getting the fruit, that's a given. I don't see a single fruit in canon or not that I would see him reasonably wanting/needing. Unless there's one that lets you know directions…

Flamarow- Lots of responses, which I love, so let's get to it! 1. I decided to get a bit dark there as if Usopp didn't have a dark enough backstory. The villagers were getting tired of Usopp. He had shifted from unfortunate child to nuisance. I honestly believe that scene would have acted out on its own if you added time and took away the pirates. 2. Of course, Genzo would sacrifice himself. It was in his nature. As for no one else paying, I can see why. Nami was known for being a little thief. Sure some people thought it was cute, others wouldn't have. It took years of suffering for them to stand up for her, so that early they'd save themselves first. They must've all been horrified. Thank you for paying attention to all the details and seeing that twist coming. I've said before, strong DF's don't make a person weaker. They multiply their strengths. Any fruit is useless if you don't use it properly. What if Akainu went into island building? Not as terrifying then. 3. What can I say, he's a charmer. The Giant's were going to fight anyway, and the canon fight went somewhat similar, minus the Blood Man. I really didn't like the constant Color Traps and Wax Statue making of that island, so I thought of a way to take it out and make it interesting. Seemed to work. Good points on the Usopp bomb making idea. But Sanji could become a cook who could taste his food and gunpowder. Huh? Huh? I'll shut up now.

StoneTheLoner- Well, we've had a few discussions since this comment, so I won't be returning fire. I'll just say I hope you've changed your mind since you read some more, and hope you enjoy it now.


	18. Arriving at Alabasta! Smoke vs Fire!

Wow. So sorry it took so long everyone. My semester just started so I've been kinda swamped with all the new stuff coming at me. I'll keep working on chapters when I have time, and am by no means done writing.

* * *

In the kitchen of the Going Merry the Straw Hat Pirates, Alabastian Royalty, and Ex-Baroque Works agents gathered around a fairly detailed map of Alabasta. With overall geographical details given by Vivi and Newly Updated Military Movements given by Robin, which Usopp was kind enough to draw out. Vivi learned that the Yuba Oasis was no longer the Rebel Headquarters due to Sandstorms. In fact, sandstorms Crocodile regularly created, which angered Vivi.

"Is there no limit to his evil?" Vivi asked in desperation, not expecting any answer.

"No. Now I believe our best course of action will be to dock at the nearest port town, gather whatever supplies we may need, then head for Rainbase. Crocodile will surely be there, giving out whatever orders he can to stall both sides before I arrive." Robin interjected, laying down the law on how this was going to go down, as no part of what was said was a suggestion.

Vivi wanted to argue that they should prevent the fighting first, but she had a good point. If Crocodile wanted the Poneglyph, he'd need Robin. He couldn't get the Poneglyph without her father, and he could only get to him with the chaos of an ongoing battle. "Well, what about those other members?"

"I've been giving this quite some thought. Let's start by identifying the strongest fighters." Robin said, looking around the room and assessing their strengths. She received some angry stares from Zoro and Sanji, each ranking themselves higher than the other. "I'll draw up a list."

With that, she took a pen and a piece of paper. Drawing up a T-Chart of who-fights-who. "Swordsman. You and the Blue haired marine shall stall Mr. 1. I say stall because unless you can cut Steel, Luffy will need to kill him."

Zoro gritted his teeth for two reasons. He was being put up against a guy she thought he couldn't beat, and he'd have to babysit Ku- Tashigi! While he did it.

"He's a literal swordsman and can turn any body part into a blade. Next up, Miss Doublefinger. Smoothskin, you and the Navigator will be taking her on." Robin said as if it were a good pick.

Nami did not agree. "What?! Why am I in the same league as her! She can't get hurt!" She said, pointing at her smooth body.

"Two reasons. First, she can. Miss Doublefinger is a trained assassin, she'll find a way. Second, you're the bait." Robin said with a little sadistic smile. "They always go after the weaker one first. While she attacks you, Alvida can be the one to go on offense."

Before Nami could even begin to argue, Bellemere started. "No! I refuse to let her be the bait!" She yelled, her feelings for Robin swelling back up.

"Then be the bait with her. Without at least two people fighting Miss Doublefinger, they'll die." Robin said, clearing having thought this through. Crocodile, Mr. 1, and Miss D were the only people in Baroque Works she couldn't kill on her own, given their powers. She couldn't snap sand or steel, and her hands would be punctured in an instant with that woman. "Miss Double Finger can turn any body part into a spike, so try to use range."

"Fine by me. I won't let Nami be defenseless." Bellemere crossed her arms in disgust, walking to grab her rifle for the fight. She contemplated using the damn thing early…

Robin rolled her eyes. This woman was a pain. "Mr.2 is a bit trickier. You've seen his power, but that isn't how he fights. He's known for his karate, specifically deadly kicks."

Sanji smiled and stepped forward, knowing he'd be the one perfect for this fi-

"Gin. I believe you'd do well against him. Your ruthlessness would mean none of his tricks would work." Robin stated, flooring Sanji with her hurtful words.

"Gin?! That brooding emo couldn't defeat a wet paper bag!" Sanji yelled, jumping back up to defend his honor. It was bad enough that Zoro was fighting someone at the top, but the idiot did have swords vs. swords. This was leg vs. leg!

"Watch your mouth, blondie, before I crack your skull like an egg!" Gin threatened, getting in Sanji face.

"Ahem," Robin said, sprouted hands turning both their faces to look at her. "If you believe you can fight him, by all means. Gin, would you mind working with Usopp?" Robin asked, knowing he was less thick headed than the cook.

"Fine. Who're we fighting?" Gin conceded. He cared more about aiding the crew than boosting his own ego.

"Mr.4 and Miss Merry Christmas," Robin stated, making sure Usopp could hear behind everyone, thinking it would get him out of fighting. "He is superhumanly strong, and she is a mole-human. They also have a gun-dog that can shoot explosive baseballs." Robin did a good job of stating that like it was a normal occurrence, despite the fact that it was absolutely insane.

"You're joking, right? What can we do against them?!" Usopp yelled, rushing through to ask the question to her face.

"Kill them," Robin said, staring the terrified boy down. "As long as you can avoid the explosions, and getting grabbed, they shouldn't be hard for two competent fighters."

"We only have the one." Gin said with a smirk as he walked up. He knew Usopp wasn't exactly a fighter so much as support. But at least he was good with that slingshot of his.

Usopp stared angrily at Gin, detesting his statement that he was not a competent fighter! Sure, he couldn't fight up close, but he was an undisputed master of the long range assault!

Robin let out a little sigh. Everyone on this boat was going to end up killing each other before they even reached the capital of Alabasta. Luckily that just about covered the threatening ones. They took care of the 5 pair, no one had seen the 6 pair in weeks, the 7 pair were no threat, and 8 and 9 were allied. "We should almost-"

Just as Robin was about to state the obvious fact that they should be arriving in the country soon, Vivi had rushed in with a smile on her face, in the process knocking out the poor cook, who took the door to the face. "We're here! Alabasta!"

The majority of the crew, excited to see the homeland of their new friend, rushed out of the kitchen to take in the view. They were greeted with a distant island of a yellowish color. The land was pure desert, in the middle of an ocean. For most all of them, it was their first time seeing such an odd occurrence. Having such variable weather climates was a phenomenon only the Grand Line could provide. They had just gone from a winter island, after-all.

"Wow..." Most of them said in awe as they saw the beauty of Vivi's home island. Vivi began to weep at the sight. She was finally coming home, and she was going to save it.

Bentham, Valerie, Grace, and Miss Monday took in the view as well. This was just a job to them a relatively short time ago. With the weight taken off their shoulders, they could enjoy it. Well, Bentham couldn't. He was having a hard time seeing past the swelling.

"Hey, Vivi! What kind of food do they have here?" Luffy asked, with a big "innocent" smile. The new food he could find was the first thing on his mind right now.

"Well, we have a lot of spicey food if you like that, as well as some meats you can't find anywhere else." Vivi opened with what her country specialized in but then closed with what Luffy would like the best.

Luffy smiled wildly at the prospect of getting some never before tasted food, and rushed to the lamb head of the Going Merry. "Woohoo!" He cheered out, excited as they got closer. He could almost smell the fire from the restaurants.

* * *

The Strawhat Pirates docked their ship off the coast of Nanohana, and Luffy took off inland. He couldn't wait to try out the food. Nami yelled a slew of profanity at him as he ran, but they fell on deaf ears. Luffy was too far away to care...hear.

"I swear when I get my hands on him I'm going to shake that tiny brain of his right out of his head!" Nami yelled in anger before sighing and leaning against the railing. "I don't know how, but he's going to ruin everything before we even start." Nami cried melodramatically, picturing the loss of their reward.

"He'll be fine, Nami," Vivi assured her, patting her on the shoulder to comfort her. "He's just going to grab a bite to eat. I'm sure it'll be easy for us to find him."

"Us and everyone else..." Zoro muttered under his breath, clearly expecting Luffy to get noticed by either Crocodile's men or the marines.

"Let's just get a move on already. Sanji, Chopper, Gin, go get our gear." Nami ordered as she started climbing down the side of the ship. Vivi had taken the liberty of creating a list for them so she didn't have to explain it all, for once.

"Why do I have to go?" Gin asked, seemingly exhausted already by the premise of going around with Sanji and this new deer person looking for supplies.

"Because knowing Sanji, he'll gawk at all the women instead of focusing on the list. But he's the only one I'm trusting to get our food. And Chopper is just made for hauling all this stuff." Nami said with a smile, rubbing chopper on the top of his head.

Chopper groaned at the statement. He wanted to be helpful, but he was already starting to sweat. It was the hottest he had been in his entire life, and now he was going to have to haul stuff over! "Awwwww." He groaned out, too shy to complain to the scary lady just yet.

With the complaints out of the way, the three set off to do the errands. Shortly after, Zoro hopped off the side of the ship. "Who's going to watch the prisoners?" He asked, putting himself in a position where he could easily walk off if he was suggested.

The remaining crew with any power looked over their prisoners. It was a short list. Four prisoners, one of which was a child. "Well, we can take the swordswoman to her marine base here," Vivi said with a smile at the woman, not wanting there to be any hostility between the two. Partly because of her friendly nature, and another part not wanting her to report all this associating with pirates business.

Nami smiled devilishly. Zoro though he could get out of guard duty, huh? "Zoro! You just volunteered to return Tashigi!" She yelled with a wicked smile on her face.

Zoro's eye twitched as he heard the news. He'd have to get her back for that. "Dammit." He groaned as he started walking. There was no point in arguing with that witch. Tashigi climbed down as fast as she could and rushed on so she wouldn't be left behind.

Ms. Monday stared at the remaining prisoners. All former Baroque Works agents… She walked right past them and jumped off the edge of the boat. No one said a word.

"We're going to bring them along," Robin stated, walking directly to Mr.3 and staring him down. The man didn't have a courageous bone in his body. Staring into the eyes of the Devil's Child certainly didn't help.

Alvida and Bellemere exchanged looks. They were having the same thought. "What the hell do we need them for?" They asked almost the exact question at the same time.

"I have plans for him. The others…" She looked over at Valerie and Grace. "That would be cruel, even for me." She said, though with a smirk that made both of them uneasy.

Bell and Alvida rolled their eyes. That answered about as much as they expected. With that, the Straw Hats, the Prisoners, and the Royalty left the ship in a sizable group. Heading into the town behind the smaller groups.

* * *

Luffy had spent some time exploring the various food vendors on the streets. Sneaking a bite when the vendors were distracted; Luffy's bites could fill most people up for lunch. But after quite a bit of this, he smelled real food. Or at least, a real big concentration of it. He rushed full speed at the smell but was surprised to find a crowd of people outside.

"Is it true? A whitebeard pirate?" One of the bystanders asked.

"Not just that. A lieutenant or something. One of his most dangerous." The man responded.

"Hmph. And that marine is just talking to him. What the hell is he waiting for? Crocodile to come to the rescue?" An old man asked, clearly tired of the dance of "Respectable" pirates and marines when it came to conversations.

"Maybe he's trying to convince him to surrender?" The man asked before being pushed out of the way. "H-hey kid! What the hell are you doing?!" He yelled in shock as a boy in a straw hat walked right past the crowd to go into the restaurant.

* * *

"Where the hell is he Portgas?" Smoker asked Ace, pure rage in his eyes. That statement about his brother being Monkey D. Luffy had enraged the white haired Captain. This was too much to bear. He lost to a pirate who stole his second in command and was related to one of the most dangerous out there. He wouldn't let this go.

"Pff. Knowing Luffy? A thousand miles away with his head stuck in a barrel. You may as well give up the sear-"

"I WANT MEAT!" Luffy yelled as he walked into the deserted restaurant. All of his other concerns were gone. Even this odd white-haired guy standing in front of him, and whoever the hell he was talking to; he couldn't see.

Both the other occupant's eyes widened at the sound of Luffy's voice. Ace was awe struck Luffy could have such piss-poor timing, but Smoker couldn't think of a better time. He already had his hand on his weapon. He drew it from his back as he spun, and jabbed Luffy square in the chest, sending him reeling back out of the restaurant with a bruise on his sternum. Lucky for him, however, as Smoker was trying to get him in that smug smile.

Ace pushed up from his chair and tried to rush forward to save his little brother, but he was already outside on his ass before he could. Smoker's raw rage beat Ace's sudden surprise.

Luffy was having a feeling similar to his brother's, except with a lot more pain. He felt like his Grandfather just him in the chest, though that was partly due to the Seastone weakening him down to almost human, or at least as close as the Monkey family ever were. He tried to sit up to see what the hell hit him, but he got his answer too soon. Smoker had propelled himself forward, Jitte ready.

With a devastating follow-up Smoker pinned Luffy on the hot desert sand. Preemptively creating a smoke screen around them to prevent interference. "Where is she Strawhat?!" He yelled out, right in his face.

"Gah! W-who?!" Luffy coughed up, struggling to breathe with the seemingly ten-ton weight on his chest. He couldn't move, he had no strength.

Smoker did not like that response. Not one bit. He lifted the weak boy up by the throat and repeatedly jabbed him in the stomach with his weapon. Causing him to cough up with each hit. "You know damn well who!"

Ace stared at the huge smoke screen. He couldn't fight it. Smoker controlled all of it like a prehensile smoke tentacle, a thought he pushed far from his head. He had to get rid of it. With a drag of his finger, he set fire to the sand, causing the smoker to raise up from the heat. He could see smoker repeatedly beating his little brother. His defenseless little brother. "Shigan!" Ace yelled as he leaned back, made two fists, then a couple of finger pistols. This admittedly amusing stance gave way to a torrent of small flame balls that hurled at the Marine Captain.

While Smoker could turn to smoke to avoid these attacks, the heat was still a problem. While incorporeal, the heat could disperse him. So rather than risk that, he simply turned after the first few shots and held up Luffy as a meat shield. "I want her back Strawhat!" He yelled before launching into the air with him, taking advantage of Ace's hesitation.

Luffy couldn't have answered anyway. The Seastone beating was beyond what he had experienced in quite some time. The attacks weren't meant to kill, they were meant to make him suffer, and had accomplished their goal. Now he was suddenly soaring into the air, Seastone pressing into his gut.

Ace screamed in anger before launching up after the two. He didn't want to have to fight anyone while he was here, but he'd fight for his brother before anything else in the world.

Smoker could see Ace soaring up after with a trail of fire beneath him. He briefly considered tossing him into it, but that would be pointless. It would barely burn him at all from too brief an exposure, or fry him too quickly to get any information. So instead, he went with his intended attack. A sudden shift in form and Smoker was speeding back down, Luffy under the Jitte. It wouldn't kill him, but at the position and speed, it would sure as hell make him wish it would.

Luffy tried in vain to push out from under the terrifying weapon. What the hell was it that could sap his strength like this? Who the hell was the familiar looking guy? What did he want? All these questions soared through his mind as his body soared towards the ground. Then, suddenly, they were all gone. As was any other thought he may have had in that hollow head of his.

Ace was mortified at the sight. He had dealt with so many marine captains that he considered them more of a nuisance than a threat, but this was unreal. Smoker had single-handedly knocked out Luffy in a matter of minutes. A feat he had never accomplished. But despite any inkling of respect for such a feat, there was rage. He launched himself back down, fists caked in an almost blue flame. He slammed into the back of the Captain, sending him flying back into the restaurant, and out a few buildings away. With a moments reprieve, Ace shook his limp brother. "Luffy?! Luffy?! Dammit, wake up! We have to go!" He yelled, to no avail. The open cardigan showed heavy bruising from a man who made Luffy a target.

Such a valuable one, in fact, that he got back up. Smoker marched through the rubble between buildings, sporting a partially scorched Marine Coat and two fist shaped burns in his side. But Smoker couldn't feel the pain, not yet. He still had to get Luffy.

Ace cursed himself as he saw Smoker heading that way. Another surprise from the once fodder rank of Captains. This one was as durable as he was, at least, while he had enough adrenaline to kill a horse in his veins. He launched a quick fireball at smoker to distract him as he scooped up his brother and ran. He couldn't risk Smoker deciding to finish off Luffy instead of fighting him. He didn't take him for that kind of fighter, but then again he didn't take him for such a capable one.

Smoker smothered the flames created by Ace and then charged out on his own two feet. He had gotten careless, again. The fact only fueled his rage. " **Where?! Where are you Strawhat?!** " He yelled into the sky, outraged. Everyone around him backed away in fear.

* * *

Ace panted as he set Luffy down on the sand. Checking for the basics, a pulse, his breathing. Of course, Luffy had both. He was too damn tough to let that kill him. But holy hell, that was horrifying. The East Blue had always had a bad rep of being weak...That Sea Dog would beat those people into thinking right. But that wasn't important right now. They were afterthoughts. Luffy had never lost this badly before, not even to Ace himself. He always thought Luffy was damn near invincible… He smacked his stupid brother. "Wake the hell up. I haven't seen you in years, you sure as hell aren't sleeping through our visit." Ace said with a smile, firmly believing Luffy would get up.

Luckily for Ace, Luffy was tough. He rubbed his cheek and started to sit up, slowly. He winced and groaned every second of it. His midsection was covered in small round bruises from the repeated strikes. Luffy began to mend those right away, focusing all his energy on stomach the internal bleeding. "Ace… What… Are you doing here?" Luffy asked with a weak smile, trying to find the bright side. He got to see his brother, that was one.

"Saving your ass, like always." Ace said, giving him a tap on the shoulder. Normally he wouldn't hold back but...the circumstances called for a light tap. "So what the hell was the deal back there? I know you got past Smoker but… That wasn't an angry marine. That was a psycho made of smoke."

Luffy took a moment to think. He had seen that guy before… But he couldn't think of where. "I don't know… You'd need to ask my friends." Luffy said, then after a few moments, he started to get up. "That's right. You haven't. Met my friends." He clung to his ribs, still sore all over.

Ace smiled and slung Luffy's free arm over his shoulder. Helping him walk out of the alley. "You managed to talk some people into sailing with you?" Ace asked, trying to keep the normal conversation going.

Then Luffy ruined it. "Shishishi. A ton, and three girlfriends!" Luffy yelled as loud as he was able, which was just slightly above his regular voice.

Ace furrowed his brow. Did Luffy know he wouldn't hit him right now? "So, three of them are girls. That's nice." Ace said, going with the idea that it just meant three girls.

"No. Five girls, Three Girlfriends." Luffy corrected, smiling wide at him. He had managed to get more girlfriends since he left than his brother ever had. Maybe he was ga-

"Dammit, Luffy!" Ace yelled, really hitting him this time. He couldn't believe his stupid brother. Wrangling up women and putting them on his ship… "I ought to kick your ass." Ace said, now dragging Luffy.

"Ow! Ace!" Luffy rubbed at the goose-egg forming on his head. He was too weak to shift form, not to mention the fact that his brother and grandpa always seemed to hit him before he could anyway. "Why is that so bad? They're fine with it." Luffy pouted, then started to walk on his own. "But we need to find them before that guy does.

Ace smirked. At least Luffy hadn't changed too much, putting other people first. "You're right. Any idea where they could be?"

* * *

"Ladies!" Sanji swooned as he went from girl to girl in the street. If Gin and Chopper wouldn't let him get the ladies such gorgeous dancer outfits, he'd have to hit on every girl he saw to get over it.

"Umm, Gin. Are all humans that...uh..." Chopper had the beginnings of a question but didn't quite know how to word it. The only experience he had with humans was Kureha and patients, neither of which ever acted this way.

"Pathetic?" Gin asked in return as he watched Sanji embarrass every man on the planet. He felt the shame on behalf of Sanji since he seemed to be unable to feel it himself.

Chopper began to correct him but thought for a long moment. "Yeah..." Chopper finally lets out, deciding it fit best. The one word that described Sanji's behavior. "Are we almost done? I'm having a hard time...breathing." Chopper panted. He was soaked in sweat and his nose was filled with awful perfume. Gin, thankfully, talked Sanji into getting the ladies something besides perfume, for his sake.

"Yeah. I'll get Sanji to hurry up." Gin said as he sped up, dragging Sanji along. If this idiot had gone alone he would have probably done something stupid like buy magic beans, or lose chopper!

* * *

"God. How the hell can they do it?" Nami, Bellemere, and Alvida complained as they fanned themselves. Robin and Vivi didn't break a sweat. One had a lifetime in the desert and one quite a few years there. They built up a fine resistance to it.

"Don't worry. The guys will be back with those outfits and we'll all feel much cooler." Vivi reassured. Only four of them weren't on the verge of heat exhaustion already.

"Ugh. Too long!" Alvida loudly complained, trying to let off some steam. She developed a hate of cold and heat from Drum Island, so it would only make her angry.

* * *

Zoro grumbled to himself as he led Tashigi into town. She was allowed her sword back since she was going to the marines anyway. He just had to hope she wouldn't try and get them to attack him. He'd hate to have to cut them all down.

"This place seems kind of… Empty." Tashigi commented as they arrived at the Marine station for Nanohana. Every available marine had been withdrawn for some unknown reason, save a few guards to protect the station.

"Yeah well… The deal wasn't returning you if there was a ton of people. Just go in there and claim you escaped from the bloodthirsty pirates. But don't you dare suggest you beat me." Zoro told her, giving a viable option for her to return without too much suspicion.

Tashigi looked at the marines then back at Zoro. "I'm not going to lie to them." She assured him, trying to at least leave on his good side.

"Then you're going to get treated like a pirate. They'll think you're a spy." Zoro said, walking away from her. "Pirates don't just release prisoners, you know?" He asked the hypothetical with heavy sarcasm. Clearing making fun of his own title as a pirate.

Tashigi furrowed her brow and started walking towards the base. But stopped just outside. She began to think about what she heard. Vivi, Crocodile, a War… She wouldn't be able to help from here. They'd keep her on lock-down till she could be escorted back to Logue Town. "Wait!" She yelled out to Zoro, turning around and rushing towards him. "I. I want to help first," Tashigi said, looking all around, unable to look Zoro in the eye after all she had said about pirates.

Zoro just smiled and started walking again. "Then come on. We need to find everyone. All the marines are gone for a reason." He reasoned as he headed towards the boat, at least where he thought the boat was. They were supposed to meet somewhere near there. Tashigi corrected him, however, as he had already gotten lost.

* * *

Soon after everyone had finished their business, they headed back to their planned meeting place. Sanji, Gin, and Chopper handed out the clothes everyone would need to wear to handle the intense heat. All except for one pair…

"Dammit, Luffy." Nami cursed as she hit her fists against the wall of the building. "I swear he better have either died or already beaten that Crocodile asshole." She grumbled, angry at him.

Not everyone agreed. Hell, to not expect Luffy to do something stupid by this point was on the person thinking that way. But hell, they had already gotten the supplies. How long was he planning on being gone?

"Hey, guys!" Luffy yelled out to them, still clutching his sore ribs. "I found somebody you should meet!" He said, in his typical chipper manner.

"Yeah. His big brother. You want to tell them the other thing, Luffy?" Ace asked, wanting to see how he acted with his crew.

Before anyone could question the portion about their captain having a brother they never heard about, Luffy had busted out again. "Oh, come on, Ace! That's boring compared to you!" Luffy boasted, stars in his eyes as he looked at his Big Bro.

Ace just rolled his starless eyes and took a bow. "It is nice to meet friends of my Little Brother. I know he can be a… Handful."

Everyone said one version or another of their greeting to Luffy's Big Brother, while Nami subtly guided them all back towards the ship.

"So not to be rude, Ace, but what brings you here?" Nami asked in a rudish way that was totally rude. Though she was just genuinely curious about the odds they'd run into him.

"I'm on some personal business. I heard Luffy was entering the Grand Line and decided to take my time on the off chance that I'd see him again." Ace said with a smile, looking back at his brother.

"So, what's the plan now? We got our supplies." Zoro cut off, wanting to get moving. The sooner they saved the country, the sooner that living nightmare was gone.

"Well if what Robin said is true, we need to head to Alubarna to see my father, and Rainbase to stop Crocodile." Vivi gave the shortened version. Even though she wanted to go talk to Koza to get him to end this, she realized it was more likely that Crocodile had his claws in both armies.

Ace took a moment to look around. That was three pieces of information dropped on his head at once. The familiar looking woman, Robin, now fit. She was Nico Robin, Devil's Child. Then there was the girl's father in Alubarna. That would at very least make her connected to the Alabasta Royal Family, for her father to have any pull. But the reddest flag of all was Crocodile. By his count, Luffy had been gone maybe a couple months and he was already after a Warlord? Luffy was crazier than he thought.

"We could split up. Half of us head to Alubarna, the other half to Rainbase." Igaram suggested, wanting to get back to the capital as fast as possible with the princess.

Everyone looked at each other with a skeptical look. That plan was weak, to say the least. With their forces split, any number of them could be pinned down by the enemy. Robin's division of fighting was a Worst-Case Scenario plan. Where the higher up could fight those below them, but not vice versa. If they split up their power, there's no telling what could happen with a group attack.

Luckily, Vivi realized that priorities were priorities. "No. We need to stop Crocodile. If we can show proof he was behind this, no one will be able to contradict it. But if we just make claims…"

Vivi may not have been able to say such troubling news, but Robin was. "Crocodile's men will start the war and let the country rip itself apart." Robin was blunt, but honest. What they needed to do was stop Crocodile before the plan started, then dismantle the pieces.

"Then…You all go to Rainbase. I will head to the capital and inform the King of your safety, as well as what we have learned." Igaram proclaimed, feeling that Vivi was safe in the hands of these monsters.

"You'd never make it there in time," Vivi argued, a frown on her face. She looked over at Carue, who was always by her side. "You and Carue could though." She suggested, face brightening up.

"That's a marvelous idea. He could carry us there, then I could let the king know." Igaram said back, seeing this as the perfect compromise between a man walking the desert and a duck running it.

Vivi went to fetch them water for the journey from the supplies. Carue would need extra for the trip since he was carrying a rather large load across the desert.

Carue saluted the princess in response, a professional mannerism he took on whenever he was assigned to something important. With that, Igaram said his goodbyes and climbed on Carue's back, causing him to squawk in discomfort from the difference in weight.

Vivi yelled at the Super Sonic Duck when he stopped a short distance away for water, but otherwise, she waved happily. Entrusting that they could handle it.

After that, everyone went to the ship. They could sail up the river and dock closer to Rainbase, avoiding most of the harsh desert in-between. It was risky but necessary. After dealing with Crocodile, they could then sail back across to get to Alabasta and hold talks with Koza and the rebels. Explaining everything they could.

Ace rode along with the crew, deciding it would be the best way to find out the kind of people influencing his little brother. Or, rather, the type of people his little brother was influencing. Luffy wasn't one to sway easily anymore. If their own grandfather couldn't, no one could. "So. Luffy has convinced you all to be pirates?" Ace asked the people who had gathered around. Some were obviously not his friends, as they were under guard.

Most everyone took a moment to scratch their head. When phrased like that, it seemed ludicrous. Especially since Luffy was playing with his food. "Yeah…" Almost everyone sighed in unison, realizing the kind of sway this boy had over them.

Ace smirked a little bit. His brother was creating a rather large little crew with his charismatic nature. He always had a knack for making friends and pissing people off. The two actions were almost the same sometimes. "Exactly how I expected." Ace said, leaning back in his chair.

Luffy shot some dagger stares at his crew, though the daggers were dull. He knew that was half a joke they felt would be funny, and half an attempt to mess with him…he hoped.

"But seriously." Ace got up off his barrel and bowed to the people before him. "Thanks for not letting my little brother sail off all this way on his own. Who knows what he may have done." Ace said, trying to be respectful of the crew and still pick on his little brother.

"Yeah like wipe out a marine base…" "Or stop all the major pirates in one of the blues…" "Or kidnap a marine…" "Or overthrow the monarchy…" Zoro, Nami, Bellemere, and Alvida all tacked on to Ace's heartwarming little speech a list of the things Luffy had done under their respective watches. Indicating they were in no way controlling this monster.

Ace stared at his brother angrily. How dare he go and topple the monarchy without him?! The little brat couldn't help himself sometimes… "Thanks anyway. So, if I heard right, you're all headed to Rainbase?" Ace asked, wanting to confirm what side of the river he'd need to be dropped off at.

"That's right," Nami said, confirming the responsibility of steering the ship to their destination.

"Good. I'm off to Yuba on business." Ace said, wanting to keep some anonymity around the child of the devil, knowing her reputation. He knew all the information wasn't reliable, and that Luffy wouldn't hear a word of his protest if he had any.

"If you're seeking the Rebels, they moved," Vivi said, hoping to spare him a trip she almost took all for no reason.

"I'm not. I got word that the man I'm hunting was spotted there. If I can find evidence he was there, that'll be enough to tell me I'm on the right track." Ace assured, appreciating the attempted aid of the princess.

"Well, we're almost at the spot," Nami said, having walked away at the mention of their destination to check their map. Right on schedule.

"Aww. Does that mean you gotta go Ace?" Luffy asked, frowning hard at the premise of his brother leaving them so early.

Ace met Luffy's frown with one of his own but reached in his pocket. He pulled out a folded-up piece of paper and handed it to his brother. "Take this. It's called a Vivre Card. With it, we will meet again." Ace said, wanting it to sound super special. His brother got a kick out of stuff that seemed like magic.

"Wow…So it's magic paper..." Luffy said, looking at the paper without really asking questions about the meaning of his words.

"Having a dense little brother makes me worry." Ace said, walking to the back of the ship and hopping up on the rail. "The next time we see each other will be at the pirate's summit. Oh, and Luffy." Ace smiled as he squatted down, preparing to give them all a show of his power before he left. "Whitebeard will be the King of the Pirates." With that, Ace jumped into the air, his legs becoming fire to add some air for his flip. He wasn't one to show off a lot, but he hadn't shown any of them his ability yet. He landed on the boat he brought that was being tugged, using his flames to cut it off.

"No way! I'm going to be King of the Pirates!" Luffy yelled back in a harsh tone, but with a smile on his face.

"Did. Did he just turn into fire?"

* * *

Not exactly the fight anyone was expecting. A sole pirate captain able to push back both a Blood Man and a Fireman? (Yeah it's a pun, sue me) But it was definitely the first sign showing Luffy isn't invincible. Smoker fought Luffy in a form Luffy couldn't control, one more powerful in some ways than his regular state. Without that innate primeval instinct to counter Logias, Luffy couldn't hold up against one with such a personal grudge, and a seastone tipped weapon. Even Ace wasn't exactly itching to fight him. He knew it would be a pretty arduous task. Luffy, having no memory of facing a Logia, would have no idea how to fight him.

El Pirator- If another person has a power activated, or activates it in a physical way, he will be able to use their power. Buggy for instance splits apart, and Luffy could make him do so.

The Sinful- I suppose that makes since. He started out as a reindeer, ate the Human-Human Fruit, became a Human Reindeer. Nice catch. Though Mythical Zoans aren't the only cool ones. I have a 7'8, Former Rear Admiral, Current T-Rex to make that point.

Talonsen- Blame my auto-correct software, not me. I don't use a lot of outside inspiration for Luffy's powers. Some suggestions from readers, sometimes Luffy will make his own form of enemies move as a sort of psychological warfare move, but then the rest is sick stuff I thought up before starting. Hellsing would give me the most inspiration for the relationship between Luffy and blood. He'll definitely get some Alucard-esq moments if for no other reason than an homage to such great work. He'll also get a bitch a canon. Bitches love canons.

Flux Casey- Luffy's blood type is F, or B for the US Standard. So he can get other B types and O, universal donors.

DRIZZT- No one will get less haki than in canon. He'll get Conquerer's, Armament, and Observation. No one loses out on it.

Camdawg- Considered, yes. Made a decision, no.

Xaxiel1572- Short answer, no. Luffy doesn't get to stroll through anymore. The navy will have a heightened interest, and thus send more powerful marines to fight him. I may even take in an OC Marine for a fight if people are interested.

NotThatGuyAlpha- Shiroshi? Eh... It would certainly be an accomplishment! I mean, how would he even... Bah. That's not for little mind like my own to think about. I'm already sure people more skilled with art have demonstrated it somewhere...

Miltonius- Or something, in this case.


	19. Rainbase Ahead! The Day before it Ends!

Happy New Year everyone! I know, I know. It's been far too long since I've updated the story. Due to a series of family tragedies, holidays, and schooling, my time has been limited at best. I've had limited time and even then, it was stretched. The story is not dead, abandoned, or anything of the sort. It's just going slower than expected.

* * *

"Are we going to ignore that?" Sanji asked his captain, the most visibly shaken up by what they just saw. It was hard enough for them to admit to themselves that Luffy was on a different level of mortality than they were. He could take a bullet to the head, a knife to the throat, or a cannonball anywhere and walk away from it. Now they find out his brother was invincible too?! Is the entire family invincible?!

"Of course not! You're going to have to fight him one day, Sanji." Luffy said with a big smile, which sent shivers down the spine of everyone who heard it, and made Sanji freeze.

"What the hell do you mean I'll have to fight him?!" There were multiple reasons to ask this question. Ace was Luffy's brother, and Luffy apparently wanted to fight him. How in the world would Sanji be able to take someone capable of turning into fire?

"Well he's made of fire, and you're a cook. Plus, I gotta fight that Whitebeard guy. You wouldn't make me fight my brother, would you?" Luffy asked, flashing a look of concern. It was merely to mask the fact that he considered Sanji around third in command like Ace was in his crew, and he did not want to say where Zoro was…

"I… That's not… Dammit, Luffy!" Sanji cursed at his captain. That wasn't playing fair. It was downright inhumane to have someone fight their brother in actual combat. Not to mention that if Ace really was only one of the strongest and not THE strongest, Whitebeard would be too damn powerful for him, green-hair, or anyone else for that matter.

"Thanks, Sanji!" Luffy said with a big smile, ignoring Sanji's anger. He walked over to Nami, who was less obsessed with Ace than Sanji was. "Nami, how much longer?" Luffy asked his navigator with a loud, undeniable twinge of pestering. He was getting impatient. After getting beat so badly by whoever the hell that was, he wanted to make sure he could take care of himself.

"Not much longer," Nami said, fiddling with something Usopp had given her, not paying too much attention to their progress. Nami was skilled enough to multitask as she navigated, especially up something as simple as this river. "Ugh. Stupid staff…" Nami complained as she fumbled with the instructions. She wanted to just test it out on her own, but her mother insisted she never uses a weapon without training. "Just… I don't know. Talk to Vivi or Robin some more. Find out just who the hell this Crocodile guy is."

Luffy blinked at her for a moment, dumbfounded. Why would he want to know about Crocodile? It beats the fun of finding out on his own. But then again, she had a point. If Vivi, Robin, and all these other people feared him, it would at least be smart to know something about him…Like what he looked like.

Robin wasn't in her usual seat this time. She was leaning over the edge of the railing on the port side of the ship, staring out into the desert. This would be it. The place where she either burned old bridges or cut new ties. Either option caused many people to want her dead, something she quite used to by this point. But it was never the easiest thing to do… Then she felt one of the sides she had to choose press against one of the sides she had.

"Oi, do you see anything?" Luffy asked, scanning the sprawling desert before them for any sign of a landmark. The lack of any such feature made his stomach sink. No restaurant for miles…

"A war," Robin said, trying not to let her feelings seep through the façade. She may have put on a cool face, but this was something sobering to her. They really were about to go to war with someone of immense power. One of the reasons Crocodile was so confident in himself was his cleverness. He was a Sand Man in a Desert. A force of nature… And Luffy was worse.

"You have good eyesight. Mind telling me about the Crocodile guy?" Luffy spoke both parts of the thought with the same tone, a light half-interested concern in the consequences of his words. They weren't close enough to stop a war, and he could live without knowing.

"I assume you mean battle tactics and strategy?" Robin asked, glancing at the boy. He was no fool. He could size up enemies and tear them down with ease she never expected, but she didn't know how he'd fair against someone who did the same and had been for far longer. "Well he's a Logia like you, so most of your attacks are useless."

Luffy grumbled and folded his arms as he spun, leaning back against the railing. "Are you saying I have to burst something in his brain? That's boring." Luffy complained.

Robin was furious inside. The fact that Luffy could instantly eliminate any threat was something she had taken comfort in when joining his crew, no matter how long that proved to be, but now it was being wasted. Boys and their egos… "That's not what I'm saying. I've been working with Crocodile for many years. I've had time to think about how to kill him."

"Do you spend a lot of time thinking about how to kill people?" Luffy asked, genuinely curious about how much time his new friend spent on something so morbid.

"Do you spend a lot of time breathing?" Robin used the question to answer her captain, then continued as if she hadn't said a thing. "Crocodile spends a lot of time in the actual base. He doesn't have much business to attend to that can't be done from there. He'll go out to rob bandits and pirates and make himself seem like a local hero. Back in the beginning of his planning though, he completely retreated because of some rain…" That was it. She had just given this boy the keys to the kingdom.

"Water?" Luffy asked, putting the piece of the puzzle together himself. Albeit while looking at the picture on the box.

"Precisely. His Sand fruit means that he has all the weaknesses and strengths that come with. He can go long spans of time without water, is hardly affected by the heat. But there is a flip side. If your brother and he were to fight, it would be over instantly. He'd be turned to glass. Also, if he's exposed to large amounts of water, he can't spread out. He's vulnerable." Robin explained, hoping Luffy understood how this affected them.

"Aww. So, this is going to be an easy fight? I can just coat him in blood and then he's defenseless!" Luffy reasoned, both happy to have figured it out, and disappointed that this big scar boss had a weakness so damn big.

"Or you are." Robin countered, demanding Luffy's attention once more. "Crocodile's sand ability has something else to it. He can dehydrate anyone foolish enough to allow him to get his hand on them."

Luffy furrowed his brow as the gears turned, then his eyes grew wide and filled with joy. "So, he's going to be a challenge?" He asked as if he was trying to make sure they really were going to get candy. He was excited but prepared to be disappointed.

"In short, yes. Far more challenging than anyone you've fought so far. He could, would, and wants to kill you." Robin said, making sure she sounded serious to combat his goofiness.

It didn't help. Luffy's smile widened before he whooped and hollered his way across the deck of the ship. Forcing the attention of everyone onboard, including the navigator. "Luffy! We're here! Come down so we can set anchor and get going!" She yelled up at him, as he reached the Crow's Nest.

Luffy leaped down and landed with a hard thud and a smile. "Great! How far away is this place anyway?" Luffy asked, having not paid much attention earlier.

"Far," Vivi said, a sullen expression on her face. She may have known Rainbase was more important, but that didn't mean she liked it.

"Think of all the stuff we'll see along the way," Usopp said in a preemptive manner, wanting to keep everyone's spirits high, even if his own had a very low maximum value.

"And all the great recipes," Sanji said, though inside he was screaming about the idea of the beautiful women.

"Are we going to stand around all day or get a move on?" Gin asked, shooting glares at everyone. He got the feeling everyone would start voicing an opinion on what they were looking forward to seeing, and he was not having it.

"Grumpypants," Alvida commented, heading to the edge of the boat before leaping down.

Everyone followed at various speeds. Leaving the boat tucked away in the river, safe from the prying eyes of anyone who didn't plan to sail up that river anyway.

"Is everyone geared up?" Bellemere asked, having led more than a few marines before, and knowing the necessity of preparation.

"Yes, ma'am." Everyone groaned out. They had all donned their desert attire, even Alvida. It seemed she knew her smooth skin wouldn't protect her from sunburn. Besides, unlike Robin, she wouldn't turn that lovely shade after spending prolonged time in the sun. She'd turn red, even if was years.

"Good. It's about a day of walking, and I don't want anyone dead before we get there." Bellemere said, following behind Nami, the navigator on and off the sea.

"Is it okay to die when we get there?" Zoro asked with a smirk, poking the bear for the sake of riling her up.

"When Crocodile is nothing but Sand, you have my permission to die," Bellemere said, voice deep and threatening. Like she'd break Zoro's spine at any moment.

"No one gets to die," Luffy said, chiding out ahead of even Nami, confident in his navigation skills…. Or at least his ability to find the dozen or so people in a desert by at very least blood quantity.

No one else felt like arguing about how much permission they needed or what punishments they'd get for dying. Instead, they walked for hours in the burning sun. Encircled by birds, which Luffy and Usopp promptly hunted for food.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Rainbase…

"Is this report accurate?" Crocodile asked the same sense of calm he always had present in his voice despite the situation.

"Yes, sir." Mr. 2, the Okama Ballerina said, looking very somber compared to his normal cheery self.

"Hmm. Straw Hat Pirates…" Crocodile snapped his fingers and was handed a file. "Hmph. One unidentified devil fruit user, one mediocre swordsman, one chef, one ex-marine. A bunch of weaklings." Crocodile tossed the folder aside.

"I wouldn't call them weaklings, sir." Miss Doublefinger said, pulling the file to examine it. "Their captain is reported to be the one who both killed Arlong and prevented an execution watched over by a Logia Captain…" She said, punctuating Logia.

Crocodile did not appreciate the implications, and as such pushed himself up, keeping his head down, eyes out of view. "Do you think I worry if a worthless rookie pirate beat a washed up Fishman and outwitted a marine dog?" He asked, hands gripping tight on the table, drying out the wooden table and making it crumble under his fingers.

"I did not mean to imply that you are scared. More that he could be an annoyance if he really is helping out Miss All Sunday." She said, back-peddling her offense.

"Her name is Nico Robin. Her affiliation has been terminated." Crocodile said, throwing his head up with a wide, ferocious smile exposing too many teeth. "Your orders are to capture her by any means necessary, alive, and bring her to me. I have reports that these pirates stirred up the locals at one of the ports. Mr. 2, head to Alubarna and begin the plan. I want rebel forces marching by sunrise. Mr. 1, Miss Doublefinger. You two will be staying here, in preparation for battle. Nico Robin is too smart to head for the poneglyph. She will be trying to hinder my progress first. Find them, kill the pirates, take her alive." Crocodile gave out the orders masterfully, as well as any admiral laying out a battle strategy. He'd need to be to get the weapon.

Everyone nodded their approval and left. The manpower had dropped… Considerably over the past few weeks. Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas were already given their orders via a new set of trained animals and did not to be a part of the main plan. Mr. 2 would give orders to the other, lesser numbered agents on his way. Things were finally about to start boiling over. It was the start of something very big.

* * *

"IT'S HUGE!" Nami, Usopp, and Chopper screamed as they curled together. They weren't the only ones screaming out of fear, but this trio was particularly weaker than the others.

Notably, the four who charged headfirst at the massive Sandora Dragon which was currently soaring towards them. These large, carnivorous reptiles aren't really dragons. They're gigantic, predatory ambushing reptiles that lie dormant under the sand in the Alabasta Deserts. However, this one had no stealth effects against the blood-sensing captain, who threw the beast skyward once he was close enough to give most everyone a good scare with it.

"Dammit Luffy, you could've warned us about this thing!" Sanji yelled, kicking the giant in the stomach towards Gin.

"Shut up, Cook! I'm sure he had a good reason!" Gin reasoned, using both tonfas to hit the lizard on its side, breaking a few ribs as it was sent towards his captain.

"Yeah! It was super funny!" Luffy explained, punching the oversized reptile square in the face and sending it spiraling down towards Zoro.

"Will you all just shut up?!" Zoro asked before putting his third swords in and sending a whirlwind of cutting winds up the length of the dragon, causing it to rain blood and gore.

The three dropped down as Zoro was coated in the blood of his enemy. Face affixed with an annoyed expression. "If I don't get a towel, all three of you are next," Zoro said, more concerned about his swords than his clothes.

Luffy laughed nervously as he grabbed something for Zoro to wipe up with. The kind of laughing the other two did was not in the slightest way nervous, which may be why he slung the blood from the swords their way.

"Hmph. Still wanna try and haul them in?" Nami asked Tashigi, who was in awe. She had never seen such a beast in her time in the East Blue and hoped to not again. She gave a little shake no, though it wasn't out of fear. If only Nami had known the things she'd been witnessing since her arrival…

"It's starting to get dark. We should set up camp before then, so we aren't all freezing cold in an hour." Bellemere said, surprising Vivi with her knowledge of Desert conditions. It was, of course, common for everyone who lived on or near a desert island. Those who never went to them before would be woefully unprepared for the vast difference in temperatures.

"We get to camp, and Sanji can cook us up some lizard!" Luffy yelled, excited at both prospects. He liked camping when he was younger. If you call running away into the woods camping… Which he did.

It was a quick trek to the nearest boulder protruding from the sand, where they could use it as a wind blocker for the fire. Inside the hour a few tents were set up, a fire was roaring, and prehistoric amounts of meat were being passed around for a sort of carnivorous buffet. Despite Bellemere's loud and Robin's subdued protests, the prisoners they had taken were allowed to join in. Though they clearly weren't having as much fun. They were just happy to be fed some delicious cooking. The fact that it wasn't the cook's attempt at chocolate made one of them particularly happy, even if she had to admit it was delicious.

* * *

"No no. You don't understand. He stuck his sword in the ground, and created about a hundred more!" Zoro said, complimenting his captain on the battle with the pirates back on Usopp's island.

"Yeah but took on a six-armed octopus swordsman! That's so cool!" Luffy said back, enjoying the 'No you're better than me' attitude Zoro had from the booze.

* * *

"No no no. That would never work." Usopp chided Gin for the amount of gunpowder he was putting in the shell. "You'd get way too much spread. Or it would blow your gun apart." Usopp had to pour roughly half of the gunpowder into a fresh one.

"Hmph. We had a guy for this on my old crew. A nerd like you." Gin said, eyeballing the quantity he should be putting in.

"Well if you want me to be that guy, stop insulting me. Until then, watch how to do it!"

* * *

"Do you think Nojiko is okay?" Bellemere asked Nami, words slurred to high heaven. She wasn't worried about situational awareness. She wasn't on guard duty. She wasn't going to be now definitely. "My poor little girl all alone!" She said, exaggeratedly but not all that loudly.

"Mom. She's a grown woman, Arlong is dead, You raised her, and it hasn't been a month."

"Oh yeah. Arlong's dead. I should reward the person who did that…"

"Mom that was Lu-"

"..with my body."

"Mom!"

* * *

"And then you what?" Kaya asked, trying to keep up.

"Apply an anesthetic before you wrap it with gauze. If you don't do that, they won't be still as you cover the burn." Chopper explained, using his most recent dealings with Alvida as inspiration for the impromptu training.

"What if there aren't any?" Kaya asked, trying to cover the bases.

"Oh. Yeah… Well if it's that bad, you should keep it in the water until the pain eases."

"And if there is no water in the first place?" Kaya asked again, looking around to prove her point. There wasn't exactly a plethora of spare water in the desert.

"You need to locate some, or the pain won't even start soothing." Chopper explained, holding up his canteen to show that he'd be willing to sacrifice it for the cause.

* * *

"Shut up." Alvida said, sounding astonished.

"It's the truth, and I will not," Robin replied, a small smile on her face.

"I didn't know you could do that to a man's spine," Alvida said, looking away for a moment before smiling.

"You can if you twist enough," Robin said, a little smile on her own face.

"Hmph. Well if you think that's bad…" Alvida leaned up and whispered in Robin's ear, wanting to keep that technique private.

Robin blinked a few times as she looked to Alvida, who made a 'Come Here' motion with just her index finger. "It only works with men though." Alvida quickly clarified.

"You and I have very different ways of interrogating people." Robin said, sipping her tea and cataloging that mentally for any future 'interrogations.'

* * *

"No. You can't just decide sweet is better. The bitterness is what sets it apart from licking up sugar from the floor." Valerie explained, trying to get the finer points through his head didn't work, so it was back to basic confectionary details.

"But the dark chocolate I gave you…" Sanji's lower lip was quivering like a child on the verge of tears.

"Was too much of the bitter! God, it's like you have no taste-buds when you put chocolate in your mouth!" Valerie was never fooled by a child's sadness.

* * *

"You drink tea well." Grace complimented Vivi. All this time partnered with Mr. 3 had meant her tea parties were with dolls. Finally, someone with class could join her.

"Well, I had to take classes in it. Most of it stuck." Vivi responded with a smile, even though she disliked those classes growing up. She much preferred to play outside with her friend…

* * *

"But you're their prisoner too." Galdino whispered, looking completely confused by the woman's refusal to go along with the idea.

"And you're a criminal. I'm not going to help you escape, even from pirates. You'll just go hurt more people." Tashigi defended stalwartly, not giving the man an inch of ground to stand on.

"You're judging me by my past! That's not fair!"

"Fair, no. Marine… You're not going anywhere." Tashigi realized what she said too late, getting up to go sit with the larger group of people. Better the people who were having fun for company.

* * *

"Oi! Everyone!" Luffy yelled, getting the attention of everyone in the little envoy. "Tomorrow is a big day. For us, yes. We're entering a war. But it's much bigger for our friend, Vivi. She's ending one. No one gets to sit it out tomorrow. Robin told us who we should worry about, and that means we can all do our part."

"Hmph. Seems like he has something behind those sexy eyes after all." Alvida said, sipping some sake she swiped from the resident swordsman.

"I agree," Robin said, sipping some coffee. After a moment she clarified. "He is smarter than he seems."

Alvida smirked, "Bet that isn't the only part you agree with." She taunted, poking fun at Robin for sharing the growing boat of women falling for the dark haired wild boy they had for a captain, even if Robin wouldn't admit she was on it…yet.

With the mini-speech done Luffy yawned and crawled into his tent. Something about getting into a drinking contest with Zoro was really draining. The tent itself was extra-large, meant to accommodate a few people for whatever reason… Shortly after a few other women decided to hit the hay as well. Bellemere and Alvida were the first ones in. Shortly after, Nami, who just wanted to keep Bellemere from killing the pirate woman as she slept. Namely, as she slept with Luffy doing his best to wrap his arms around her.

* * *

The night passed rather quickly for the pirates and their 'guests.' Luffy was surrounded by the women whom he most wanted, and who most wanted him. They were without a doubt the warmest.

Zoro and Sanji got left sharing a tent for some godforsaken reason. Sanji was going to take the earliest guard shift so he could cook breakfast before they went off. But in the meantime, he had to sleep back to back with Zoro, who was too drunk to hate the company.

Gin was on the first round of guard duty, along with Galdino. Keeping all the captives together was a bad idea, and this one especially wouldn't be going unwatched. He'd be kept up till exhaustion, then swapped out with the other dangerous one.

All the prisoners were set up where the guard on duty could easily see them. With Galdino gone, the three female prisoners cocooned the youngest, so she could get the most warmth. A smug little Grace slept snug as a bug.

Vivi was used to the weather, at least as much as one could get used to it. She spent many nights camping out under the stars in the courtyard, enjoying the night air and the view. She only needed the blanket, no extra companion necessary, even if she wouldn't mind Carue.

Robin, on the other hand, was not used to the weather. Her multiple years spent in this climate had been out in the scorching heat by day, then back to a warm if hostile bed back at the main base of operations. Any time spent out at night was spent far, far away from the kingdom itself for one reason or another. This was as close to frozen hell as she had ever experienced, seeing as she was unconscious and cocooned in warm snow gear on Drum Island. She had to fix this.

"Captain. Captain wake up." Robin whispered as she shook, hoping to keep the number of people awoken by her intrusion limited to just the one she needed.

"Mmm. But Ace the tiger chased me first…" Luffy muttered, recalling a time long past.

"Luffy." Robin finally said, which did infinitely more to actually gain his attention. "Wake up."

"Huh… Robin? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Luffy asked on reflex. It was dark, and Robin was in the intent. There was urgency in her voice, but she wasn't screaming or getting anyone else's attention.

"I'm…Cold…" Robin said, averting her eyes as she said it. She immediately regretted it as well. It made her feel weak and pathetic.

"Oh…" Luffy looked over at his tentmates. "Well you could..." It took a minute, but Luffy realized the absurdity of the offer and retracted it. If she was going to join in, she would've simply done it quietly. "How can I help?"

Even as she said it she couldn't believe it. "Could you…Join me in my tent?" If the roles were reversed, Robin would see this as a blatant excuse to get her alone and do a lot more than keep warm. She only hoped that Luffy would be less judgmental for her pride's sake, as she was freezing.

"No problem," Luffy said, sliding away from the girls. Luffy would've hesitated to get up for just about anything. Sand Pirates? Only if Zoro couldn't do it. Breakfast? Only if Sanji delivered it. Sandstorm? Only if Crocodile himself brought it. But one of his friends was could and didn't see another viable option.

The two quickly went back to Robin's tent and zipped themselves in. For once Luffy was in more than just underwear, though his thermals were nice. Robin was in equally warm sleep attire and was wrapped in the blankets before Luffy could appreciate the difference in tent sizes. So, he just climbed under the cover and wrapped her up, eyes closed and breathing steady as he worked his fruit to make them both a bit warmer.

It took a moment for Robin to notice the change, but she did. Her heart was going faster than normal. She was even sweating a tad. She wasn't just bracing the cold, she was warm. After a few minutes, she looked back "You're…Not going to try anything?" She asked, quietly, almost not even to be heard.

"To sleep? Well yeah Robin, it's night time." Luffy reasoned, never opening his eyes. He was too focused on keeping them both warm until he felt her drift off to sleep.

"You…" Robin rolled over, which didn't phase Luffy much. He just moved a bit to let her get comfy and re-wrapped around her. "You really aren't going to…" Robin had been running for longer than most of the people on this crew had been walking. Twenty years of hopping between people who wanted her dead, people who wanted her bounty, or wanted far worse.

Luffy opened his eyes when he heard her voice crack. In the dark, cold air he wouldn't have been able to see anything anyway, but it somehow helped him get a better feel for it. Something glistened on her cheek. Maybe sweat, maybe not. "Robin?" He asked, hearing a painful choked cough escape before she pulled into his shoulder.

"Shh. Just. Go to sleep." Robin said, keeping it brief so she didn't have to speak through her scratchy throat, raw from the crying she was doing her best to swallow instead of releasing. Her rational mind could tell this was a ridiculous thing to cry over. Someone just wanting to sleep next to her, to be there. But something like this could never be a small gesture. Not after the life she'd lived.

"Okay. Goodnight Robin." Luffy said, drifting off to sleep in Robin's comforting embrace.

* * *

"Luffy! Luffy!" Nami called, changed into the more suitable desert attire after Sanji provided a wake-up call to all the ladies so that they could get their morning meals. Men were awoken too, a few minutes later. Almost everyone was already up and eating, however, and Luffy was almost never late for a meal.

"Where could he have possibly gone? We're in the middle of the desert!" Usopp cried out, wondering what horrible thing could've befallen his captain in the night.

Everyone else awake and who cared about his life were asking the same question. Neither Gin nor Sanji saw Luffy wander off into the desert. He was apparently not within earshot of Sanji's wake-up shout to the men of the camp. Where could he be?

"Robin wake up. It's breakfast and Luffy is… Oh, you bitch." Alvida snapped angrily after unzipping the Archaeologists single person tent and finding it at double capacity.

Inside the tent, everything but Luffy's and Robin's heads were under the covers, and those exposed heads were face to face. Outlines of their arms were wrapped around each other.

"Bell! Get you wrinkled ass over here and help me smack some sense into this bitch!" Alvida yelled, angry and wanting to hit things. It was her default mood, but now she had a target.

Bellemere stormed over, angry. Not at whatever pissed off Alvida. That she could ignore. No one called her ass wrinkly. "Who the hell do you think you are saying I… Luffy?" Well, she thought she could ignore it.

It didn't take much more than a shouting match between two of the most vicious women on this half on the Grand Line to gather the attention of everyone present. Alvida wanted to enjoy her favorite pastime, clubbing someone to death. She didn't know she could be okay sharing a man but turns out if you know you're better looking. Nami was too plain, Bell was too old. Robin… Well, she wasn't happy about Robin. Bellemere was slightly less akin to that kind of behavior. Luffy hadn't steered them wrong so far. She may not be thrilled about hauling wanted criminals around, it was a fact of being a pirate.

"Will you two yell quietly?" Luffy asked, poking his head out of the tent. "Robin's still sleeping." He said, though wasn't sure for how much longer that statement would hold.

Both women stared Luffy down like angry bulls at a wiggling cape, but much like a cape, Luffy didn't have a care in the world. Realizing this, Bellemere backed down and muttered. "Let's eat and discuss this with him in a few minutes." Through gritted teeth, angrier at Alvida than at him.

"Hey. Robin. Wake up. Everyone's mad. I think Sanji made lizard chops." Luffy said both of equal importance as he lightly shook her awake, unsure of another way.

"W-what? Everyone…" Robin slowly opened her eyes. She couldn't hide the smile that Luffy's sleepy face brought to her own, but it didn't last all that long. The warmth she had sought the previous night had now left her feeling sweaty and overwhelmed. Not to mention the sand and hot air blowing in from…the open flap. "Luffy. Do. Do they know you're in here?"

"Huh? Well duh. Why else would I be telling you?" Luffy said as he stretched as best he could in the little tent. "Hey Robin, hope you got some sleep. I'm gonna go change into something not so hot. See you at breakfast." Luffy waved as he sprung from Robin's tent in his pajamas and strode over to his own tent to change.

Robin crawled over to the open flap and looked out of it. She looked at everyone who was still standing there, which meant every male and a couple non-fighting females, and shot them the best silent glare she could before zipping up and allowing emotions to flood her face, hidden behind her tent.

A few minutes later Luffy was back out of the tent donned in his desert survival gear and ready to fight warlords…or eat breakfast, which came first. He had to quite literally force Sanji to serve him the food after the morning scandal that was waking up in a tent not designated for you and your harem. Everyone silently stared at their captain as he ate. Even the captives couldn't help but stare. Mr. 3 especially didn't think anyone as… wild as this boy would be Miss All Sunday's type.

Eventually, Robin climbed from her tent, donned in attire that didn't exactly scream heat protection. The purple and white cowgirl motif made her stick out like a sore thumb, which was part of the design. Sneaking into Rainbase was not an option, period. Crocodile had the place rigged with as much security cameras as a max security prison. It was, after all, both a casino and a crime base. This meant getting direct access to Crocodile. I.E. walking right into a trap. Also, making them question what exactly she and Luffy did to have her pick this attire was a plus.

"So. Either of you wanna tell us what in the hell you think you were doing?" Bellemere asked, trying to be the more level-headed one compared to Alvida, who had already decided who was guilty.

"Sleeping together," Luffy said, so bluntly even stoic Gin fell backward in surprise.

"How does your captain walk around with balls that big?" Valerie questioned Zoro who, while stunned by the blatant answer, was more enjoying Sanji's suffering.

"I think that's why he jumps places," Zoro commented with a smirk, joking around even though he was only half-aware.

"Luffy I think we should clarify before everyone begins to assume. I fetched Luffy last night when the temperature dipped below freezing. I was cold and needed someone to keep some semblance of body heat. Since you three were overloaded with covers, and bodies under them, I decide to take Luffy and not freeze to death. All and all a rather simple solution." Robin explained, trying to keep things civil…even as she shot a smile.

"So, you two didn't… Ahem…" Bellemere tried to cough away the sin. Maybe if she used a cough instead of the word she could shield those too young from it.

"No Bell you're still the only one I've-" Luffy was unceremoniously prevented from putting his foot in his mouth when Bellemere heaved her leg up and put her foot in his face.

"Asked and answered. Okay." Bellemere wiped her boot in the sand and turned around. "Okay, nothing more to note here. Nothing improper. Let's pack up." She ordered quickly, embarrassed by the close call.

"Mom, you know I already know you two did it, right?" Nami asked, both angry and ashamed.

"Everyone pack up now!" Bellemere yelled out again, her marine instincts kicking everyone into overdrive. Her teasing routine was all fine and dandy when she just wanted to do was embarrass old Genzo and recruits back in the day. Now with this… situation with Luffy, any promiscuity was real for her. And Nami had grown up seeing her do it to people who didn't really stick around long enough to be a part of her life.

Within the hour every tent was packed up, the fire was smothered, and everyone was on the move. They should be arriving in Rainbase in just a few hours. Unfortunately, Mr. 2 had just arrived and would be getting the rebels moving within the next few hours himself. The time for revolution had come.

* * *

Lobisomen616- I think a smoke-bomb would be a literal too underwhelming for the rage Smoker would have. Having Robin accompany them means knowing what would be a waste of time, even if it means that they don't get the same experiences. As for stealth… As stealthy as Luffy can be.

Lightningblade49- Ace saved his brother from Smoker before, only natural he'd do it again. The only difference is this time Smoker's sense of justice is much different. He isn't going after Luffy over his escape. He's after his subordinate. He doesn't even remember where the rails are at this point.

Talonsen- Ah yes, the Mochi Mochi no Mi. Logia-like Paramecia fruits. The description isn't too far off in all honesty. The difference could be in what is deemed an element. Something naturally occurring in nature versus something man-made is what separated it. However, since almost every animal (Save things like flatworms and jellyfish) I would consider blood a naturally occurring phenomena akin to an element.

\- Any amount of sea stone that could possibly hinder the effects would be too sizeable for his powers to properly work. Catch 22

Shadowman13- You're right in that it would be easier to do it for himself than for someone else, however the amount of dedication would be so that he wouldn't be able to spend a moment not fighting off the progress in order to do any good. Blood cells die naturally over time and use, and no amount of controlling something can prevent decay.

I would like to apologize for the relatively short chapter, but I felt like getting it out was more important at this rate. I was unable to get out anything on this for Christmas, but Happy New Year.


	20. Assault on Rainbase! Operation Utopia!

"…also there are scorpions. There. That's just about everything dangerous out here in the desert." Vivi finished the incredibly long list of desert dangers at the behest of Robin, who wanted everyone to know what they could be stumbling into out here. Partly because Luffy chased down a scorpion and had almost crammed it in his mouth before anyone explained shrimp do not, in fact, scurry in the sand.

"Hey wait. If those scary lizard things hunt in pairs, where was the second one yesterday?" Usopp asked Vivi, he didn't want to interrupt her during the listing. He really needed to know what could get them killed…

"I… Don't really know…" Vivi said, rubbing her chin as she walked. "Considering how quickly its hunting partner was… hunted, I doubt it stuck around." Vivi reasoned. Sandorian Dragons weren't exactly used to being on the bottom of the food-chain, but would undoubtedly flee from defeat.

"So, they're weaker than we thought?" Zoro scoffed with a smirk, pulling the rope up a little. He had been deemed best to drag chopper on further. He just couldn't handle the trek through the desert.

"Are we going to gloss over the carnivorous plants? Or the cacti that can make you hallucinate? Even the plants want us dead! Why would you live here?!" Nami asked, completely exhausted by how many things she had to worry about for the thicker headed members of the crew.

"The cacti are only hallucinogenic if you drink the water from them. So, don't try and drink a cactus, no matter how thirsty you get." Vivi said, wanting to make her homeland seem a little less like a murderous island. "And those other plants aren't something we need to worry about. We're quicker and smarter than any plant."

"Oi! Vivi! Is this one safe?!" Luffy asked, licking his lips when he saw the cactus, just teeming with water.

"No Luffy, all of them are bad," Vivi said, trying to stay chipper. He was the one saving her country…

"Cactus One, our Captain Zero. Who's up for following the Cactus's orders instead?" Sanji asked, only half joking with everyone. He really had to question following someone with a memory less than that of a goldfish.

"You know, inciting mutiny is punishable by death." Gin said, wiping the sweat from his brow. He had gotten along best with the ship cook, but he didn't like the open defiance out of anyone.

"Or worse." Alvida chimed in, trying to staunch the flow of anti-Luffy chatter. She wanted Luffy to be a feared captain and being made fun of by your crew did not seem like a could start to that kind of reputation.

"I wasn't serious. Calm down." Sanji said, trying to defuse the two angry Luffy Lovers that didn't appreciate his sense of humor.

"Serious or not, we have bigger issues than Sanji wanting to rebel. We are almost at Rain-Base." Vivi informed them, scanning the horizon with her well-trained eyes.

"I hope they have a place. To stop. And rest." Panted chopper, who was soaked in sweat.

Zoro wanted to sling that ungrateful reindeer off the sled he was being pulled on. He had hardly walked any since they got here, and he was complaining about being exhausted!

"Yeah. This. Sucks. Sorry, Vivi." Nami said, wiping her brow. They should've rented some camels for the journey.

"Don't be. I understand that people who aren't used to this kind of weather won't be very comfortable with it." Vivi said, laughing off their discomfort as just a side effect of the heat.

"Robin, are you from here? The heat isn't getting you as bad." Kaya pointed out, trying to be a part of the conversation without attacking anyone.

Robin smiled as she looked over. Her attire was definitely…different from what the others were wearing. A purple, tasseled cowgirl strolling her way through the desert. She'd more at home in a gentleman's club than a desert…or even a ranch. "I've spent quite a few years adjusting to the heat. I'm much more comfortable in it now than when I first arrived."

"Hmph. You've been working with Crocodile for years." Vivi pointed out, the bitterness on her voice undeniable. She wanted to get over the harm done, but it would take some time. In the meantime, she would be reminded that Nico Robin had years to watch what Crocodile was doing, to know what kind of person he was.

"Correct. Though my alternatives were to be captured by the government and be imprisoned for the rest of my short life or be killed by an angry Warlord. Tell me what I should have done." Robin responded, looking at the princess for her answer.

"Are you two gonna bicker until we beat this Gator guy?" Luffy asked, wanting to know if he should go all out to avoid these confrontations from getting more intense. He didn't condone Robin's actions, but he understood her reasons.

Neither of them answered that. It would've been wasted breath since the answer was obvious. As obvious as Rainbase was on the horizon…

"Hmph. Well, either way, I'm gonna kick his ass."

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Alubarna.

"But Sir! The rebels have received their weapons! Their march on the palace is sure to begin soon. We must prepare a counter-attack to deter them!" Jabra, one of the head guards of the Alabasta army, tried to reason, seeing it as the only way to deal with the waves of rebels heading for them.

"I told you, we cannot meet the attack for attack! We are not having a school-yard fight. These are the lives of our people! And I will not, I Will NOT kill my people over strings pulled by a shadow puppeteer. We know that someone wants this war, and if we slaughter our own people we'll be playing right into their hands." The dark-haired, bearded, middle-aged man said from his throne. The stress from the recent months had started to add gray to the dark sea of hair, and his eyes were sinking in. The man had the weight of a country on his shoulders, and it was showing.

"But sir. We can't possibly allow-" Pell, the other head guard, was just about to explain how they could not simply let the rebels march all over them when the doors were slammed open.

"King Cobra! Your Majesty!" Igaram, exhausted, dehydrated, and carrying Carue barged into the main chamber. "I. Have returned." He yelled out, falling to one knee. He could hardly go any farther. Carue was unable to carry him the entire length of the journey himself, so Igaram had to compensate and do some carrying himself.

Within minutes Igaram and Carue were brought to a side chamber where they were looked over by a doctor and a vet respectively, and given a few barrels of water, mainly for Carue. After swallowing inhuman amounts of water, they were able to properly convey their message.

"I. I can not believe my ears. The entire country put its faith in Crocodile… He was with the World Government for God's sake!" Cobra yelled, slamming his palms against the desk. He could not fathom this level of betrayal, but he did not down it for a second.

"Sir, how should we handle this information? The rebels will surely be marching on us soon. They will take the castle if we march to face Crocodile." Jabra asked, worrying about the safety of the king and the legacy of the country.

"To hell with the Castle! I've already told you, none of this, not even I, make this country what it is. The people do. Stopping them from taking this castle won't stop Crocodile, nor will it save my daughter."

Everyone fell silent. Their king had spoken with such sincerity that they could not argue. He was willing to throw away the legacy of his reign to keep the country intact, and out of the hands of someone like Crocodile.

"My king. You should know that there is a chance we don't need to march on Rainbase at all." Igaram said, swallowing down the last of his water. He had told Cobra about sailing here with the aid of pirates but had failed to mention the finer details in favor of detailing Crocodile's involvement. "The pirates. They are extremely strong. Some of them stronger than a hundred of our soldiers, and they have more than offered their aide. They have befriended Vivi."

Cobra breathed deeply. He was worried about his daughter's safety, from Crocodile far more than the pirates. If they had carried her this far and then sent Igaram and Carue to relay the message they certainly did not have ill intent, but to face Crocodile? "And? We know Crocodile better than they do, and even we do not know for certain how we could beat him."

"Sir… Their captain is a Logia unlike any we could imagine, and he has recruited Crocodile's right hand. If anyone outside of another Warlord or an admiral could beat him, I have faith that it would be that boy." Igaram had put a lot of his hope in Luffy. He had admittedly not known him for very long, but what he had seen sent a deep chill down his spine. Deeper than the first time he saw a criminal Crocodile had 'stopped' as part of his campaign to be seen as a hero.

"What do you mean 'unlike any we could imagine?'"

* * *

"Splitting up would be a horrible idea." Robin said, trying to quell the fiery red-headed mother of a red-head.

"Says the woman untrained in tactics. If this place is as infested with assassins as you claim, we shouldn't march up to their HQ as one big target. We're not all invincible like Luffy." Bellemere retorted, bonking Luffy on the head a few times to prove her point, which he did not appreciate. She left whelps!

"Yes, but the fact that he is practically invincible is very advantageous for the rest of us. To the lament thug, he is a young, goofy boy with no wherewithal or obvious fighting skill. So, he is not perceived as a high threat, and that is what will be the death of them."

A few of the less violent crew-members wanted to speak up against the "death of them" part but were drowned out by the argument. "That's all well and good, but are we forgetting that Kaya here can't fight, and they don't know what she looks like? She and Sanji could easily slip through this city without drawing the attention they would by being with us."

"You would send them totally unprepared through the city just because it would give them… Hmm…" Robin paused as she spoke. Having someone on the outside could at least offer a backup in case something went wrong. The insurance wasn't the most invaluable, but any card you can hold out is one you should. "You have a point. Someone they won't be on the lookout for…"

"Exactly. The enemy you don't know is there is far more dangerous than the one holding a gun to your head." Bellemere said a smile on her face from a pseudo battle against Robin won. At least from her perspective. "And these 'ex-assassins' are just going to try and sabotage us. We need to keep them away from everyone they could hurt."

"I'm okay with it if Kaya is. I'll protect her with my life." Sanji said, putting a fist over his chest

"That's great, but are you both forgetting something?" Nami asked, slightly annoyed by their oversight of the situation. "They still know what we all look like, and those two being safe doesn't make us smaller targets. If we can't tell each other apart, we're as good as dead."

Everyone murmured to themselves about the point she made. They would need a way to truly differentiate themselves from Mr.2. Luckily, someone unexpected had an idea.

"Make sure they're tight. If they come undone, they're useless." Zoro said, instructing everyone as he applied his own white cloth covering to his arm, nearly cutting off the circulation.

"Surprised you could think of something this clever, moss head," Sanji commented as he tied on his own, agreeing to with the danger at hand. He and Kaya both still needed the identifiers in a worst-case scenario situation of getting their identities stolen by the ballerina.

"Pff. You realize I hunted pirates for a living, right? You don't survive doing that by not knowing how to get the upper hand on an enemy." Zoro retorted, finishing the knot.

"What would you know about hunting pirates? You've hardly got hair on your chin." Alvida commented, running her smooth hand under his chin for emphasis. It took some work getting the cloth to stay on her arm, but she managed, somehow…

"I've killed more pirates since I was fifteen than you've led since you were twenty, 'Iron Mace.'" Zoro said, shooting the woman a glare. She was the last person, okay second to last, he wanted to judge his age and experience. "If any of us were acting our age, we sure as hell wouldn't be stumbling into a war led by a Government Sanctioned Warlord in a country we've been in for less than a day…"

Alvida clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. Brooding bounty hunter. Such a stereotype.

"There. We're all ready. Sanji, Kaya, you two break away from us and make your way towards the casino. Act natural. If anything goes wrong, you're our Ace in the hole." Bellemere said, emphasizing Sanji a bit more. Kaya was more of a liability than a true aid, but then again so were any of them in the wrong situation. "Zoro, Gin, you take the prisoners and make your way to the marine base in town. Get the hell out of there afterward."

"Got it," Sanji replied sternly, taking his job of protecting Kaya seriously.

"Fine," Zoro said, begrudgingly. He wasn't for the bodyguard role, especially when he had to essentially herd cats. Three people who will undoubtedly try to escape, and one person yelling at him to assure they don't.

"Yes, Ma'am." Gin said, checking all his ammunition. He was one of the few to recognize the value of good weaponry. Bellemere and Usopp were the only other two with the same kind of appreciation, and only Usopp the same type of respect. If they got attacked, or if any of them tried to run away, he'd stop it. There was no failing a mission.

"Do you have them all? In the right pockets?" Usopp asked, frantically going over the list he drew up in the sand, having rechecked it three times.

"Yes, Usopp. Emergency smoke bombs. Flash bombs. Even the really spicy one." Kaya said, reassuring him that she had all the personal defense he could offer her under the circumstances.

"Usopp Tobasco! Just uh, don't throw that one at your feet like the smoke bomb. It doesn't end well…" Usopp was sweating even more than could be contributed to standing under the desert sun. A few weeks ago, Kaya would hardly have been able to leave her home, now she was going into a city filled with people who wanted them dead. He was shaking.

"I know. I remember the story you told me about the Pirate who took a bite of one and couldn't speak for a year cause his tongue burned so bad." Kaya smiled and took Usopp's hand. "I'll be fine. You just stay safe too, alright? Keep your eyes covered if the wind picks up and cover up any cuts. This sand is rough on those." Kaya advised back, wanting to do her part of looking out for him.

"I brought my goggles, I'll be fine," Usopp said, sliding them down and smiling.

"Ay! Lovebirds! Break it up, we need to move!" Bellemere yelled, snapping the two out of it. Kaya and Usopp hastily kissed and walked away, blushing from the attention they drew. "Stay safe you two and keep your heads down. And you two, don't be stupid." Bellemere said to the two groups.

Sanji and Kaya waved goodbye as they headed towards the farther side of the city to enter from, leaving with a good deal of space between them and the rest.

"Keep together, no getting out of our sight." Gin barked at the four people they were bringing to turn in, heading towards the city's side entrance, closer to the marine base.

* * *

Everyone began moving, with Robin taking the lead. She knew this part of Alabasta even better than Vivi and knew the most direct route. Stealth or subtlety would be a waste of time. They were all targets, they had a few people hostage, and they were walking right up to his base. Speed was key.

"This was a dumb, dumb idea," Alvida said as they approached, noticing how there waited a thug, cutthroat, or various other criminal down almost every last alleyway. It was the type of place that created kids orphaned and raised by their butlers. Then again it was a casino in a desert, crime was probably legal here in some parts. Or at least certain 'crimes.'

"Well, it beat the countless other ideas. All none of them." Bellemere said, defending her idea to keep grouped and move as one crowd headed to the casino.

"Just keep Luffy, Robin, and Vivi out of sight. They're the most recognizable by the marines." Nami said, having to keep Luffy's head down again and again. He was too damn eager to look around at everything. It was one thing to have all of these criminals stalking them, but if the marines attacked there would be no end to it.

"Dammit, Nami! Let me look! I want a bite to eat before we go fight!" Luffy complained as he kept being pushed down to keep him from getting distracted along the way.

"Oh, I should probably warn you all. You're no longer Baroque Works agents and are considered hostile entities by those in the company in case this isn't apparent by the fact that the final plan is in motion and you're not vital." Robin dropped that bit of information on their heads like a thousand kilos of bricks.

Every now and then a group of criminals with more bullets than brain cells would leap out prematurely and try to take on the group. However, with the most skilled fighters and killers taking the perimeter of the circle they didn't get far enough to see what the second layer had in store. They were either knocked back, stabbed, or shot. None of which drew too much attention in a city like this.

"Are we almost there?" Luffy asked, upset that he wasn't allowed on the edge to fight anyone off. Just because he was just as likely to run out ahead of them, which would be very bad for everyone else.

"Yes, Captain Luffy," Robin stated as they made it to the stairs that lead up to the Casino. None of the agents dared to barge up there.

"Good!" Luffy yelled, squirming out from the circle. Everyone yelled at him to slow down, but he didn't see the point. They were bursting through the front door anyway, why couldn't he be the one to do it? He sprinted ahead and through the doors open. "WHERE IS CROCODILE?!"

The room stood deathly still… Until the slot machine went off and everyone focused on things far more important than some stranger yelling nonsense, like their money, or the annoying humming of the lights. In all honesty, no one cared about another crazy person in the casino. It's to be expected at Rainbase. Hell, even marines were barging in here today, something they knew they weren't allowed to do.

Everyone else caught up with Luffy, a few members taking turns to hit him in the back of the head. "Dammit, Luffy. There's walking in the front door, then there's kicking it in." Bellemere explained, trying to get it through his head that they could go about this in a much smarter way.

"So? I'm not scared of him." Luffy said, walking forward into the casino, looking around at it all. So gawdy and vibrant. Hmm…he should take everyone to a casino one day… But no time for that. "Where is he?" Luffy asked Robin as she rounded the group, causing a host of Casino staff head their way.

"He'll be down in the VIP area, waiting with a trap," Robin instructed, putting a hand on his shoulder. "And we know you aren't scared, but we're not equipped to fight him like you are. So, try not to get us all killed."

Luffy furrowed his brow and turned his attention to the two suit clad men heading their way. "Hello, Straw-Hat Pirates. Hello, Miss All Sunday. We've been expecting you. Please, follow us." They instructed, motioning towards a red carpet leading away from the casino. Robin recognized it and motioned for everyone to follow. It was the only way to get to Crocodile now, and he would be underestimating them.

"You know. There's something to be said about sticking your head in a gator's mouth." Alvida commented as they walked, following the signs to this so-called VIP area, avoiding the Pirate area Luffy reasoned would be the place for them.

It was a slow, winding descent down the staircase for the crew. Luffy took the front while Bellemere brought up the rear, wanting to guarantee they weren't attacked from behind.

Waiting in a large open room at the head of a dining table was a menacing tower of a man in furs and golden jewelry. His hair was slicked back and sheened with an obsessive amount of oils. He wore two large smiles on his face; one was a toothy smile reminiscent of a pyromaniac staring into a fire, the other was a smile of stitches that rounded his face at the bridge of his nose, a real crocodile's smile. "Welcome, Straw Hat Luffy and subordinates. You're just in time."

"Just in time for what?" Luffy asked, offensive in tone but guard down. No one was waiting out of sight. Nowhere close by anyway. Some giant things were in the aquarium he had, but that was it. Well, that and whatever the hell was in that cage.

"Kuhahahaha! Don't play dumb, boy, no matter how naturally it comes to you. We both know you've been made aware of my plans." Crocodile said before sitting down and sipping from a golden chalice outfitted with various rubies. "You've come just in time to see it."

Vivi was shaking with rage as she stared at him. Crocodile, a man once associated with at least some semblance of peacekeeping within her eyes, and indeed the eyes of everyone in Alabasta, was laughing about the downfall of her country. "We won't let you carry it out. Turn yourself in and stop this before anyone else gets hurt."

Crocodile laughed even harder at Vivi's attempt at a peaceful resolution to the conflict. "Princess Vivi, such an unspoiled dove for royalty. Your pacifism sickens me." Crocodile roughly ripped off a bite of steak as he said it and locked eyes with the blue haired woman, making sure to loudly chew the meat he bit off while keeping all other mannerisms.

"Why did you invite us down here if you weren't going to surrender?" Nami asked, annoyed by his smug attitude.

Crocodile set his piercing gaze on her and smiled wide. "I'm nothing if not a good host. Besides, I wanted to see the thorn in my side before I plucked it out and disposed of it with the rest of the refuse that gets in my way." With that his eyes fell back on Luffy, and his smile faded to a look of minor boredom. "And I'm frankly disappointed. The way that Government Dog talked you'd be formidable looking."

"What dog?" Luffy asked, trying to remember the last time they came across any dog, let alone a talking dog since they arrived.

"Oh, Smoker! You have a visitor!" Crocodile yelled to a large off to his side which had done little to draw more than a glance from the visitors but was now becoming a major focus with it's funnel up to the ceiling.

Sitting silently in the cage was the White Hunter himself, sitting on the bench that ran along the wall, smoke gathering around his face from his dual cigars and hiding most of his face, save a deadly glare at aimed at the entire room. The specialty made bars were preventing Luffy from feeling his prescense, it made him uneasy to learn someone was there. "Let me out, Crocodile, and I promise I'll take you in alive. A courtesy I'm not extending to more than one pirate today." Indeed, Smoker's appearance more than backed up that claim. His once pristine attire had dark, almost black stains along the cuffs from the blood of many a pirate he had viciously 'hunted' in the pursuit of his personal white whale.

"Captain Smoker you are even more of a dog than I took you for. A wild one as opposed to a government one." Crocodile chuckled as he sipped more wine.

"Hey! You're that guy who attacked me when I first got here! What's your problem?!" Luffy yelled, all his attention suddenly shifted to the caged marine who was threatening his life, even behind bars.

"Well, Luffy you kinda…" Bellemere was going to try and explain the situation. Luffy had no memory of what he did when he was…whatever the hell he was back when they were leaving Logue-Town, but he had done a lot of damage to the headstrong marine captain. Both physically and mentally. Damage that did not slow him down but in fact made him bellow out all the stronger.

"You slaughtered my men! You released my prisoners! You kidnapped my Petty Officer! You sullied my reputation! You ruined my life!" Smoker was striking at the cage like an animal hell bent on escape. He knew better than to strike it with his fist and instead used his weapon, but it was still a futile attempt. No amount of striking those bars would do anything, and only three people in the room knew why.

"Kuhahaha! That's what I expect from a dog, snapping his jaws and barking at the mean boy who kicked you." Crocodile made a show to flip open a folder and examine the contents. "That surely squashes any doubts I had about you, Straw Hat Luffy. For once, it seems the Marines did their homework right. Not even the top government dog has that kind of hate. You earned it."

"What the hell are you both talking about?!" Luffy demanded again, feeling left in the dark as to what the hell was going on. He didn't know the white hair guy before he arrived here.

"Luffy, don't encourage him," Alvida said, joining Bellemere in trying to reign him in. They were the only two members the crew there who were also there when Luffy went into that rage and did all the things he was being accused of, and even then Alvida sure as hell didn't stay around for it all. She saw the initial part, the brutal attacking of the marines in ways that still gave her nightmares and bolted right the hell out of there with Gin and Sanji, whereas Bellemere saw what he did to Smoker and Tashigi after. As good of a person as Luffy was, he was a monster then.

"Your brutal nature, Straw Hat. It's as wonderful as I hoped." With that, Crocodile walked slowly to the cage that held the marine and smiled at him. "You love to fight, is that so?" Crocodile asked as he pulled the key from his pocket and began unlocking the door.

"What are you getting at?" Luffy asked, clenching his fists in preparation.

"I'd like to know you died doing what you love." With that, Crocodile turned the key and opened the cage, then stepped aside.

Smoker pulled the cigars from his mouth and put them out on the bench, then slowly rose and walked to the exit of the cage. "You will be next, Crocodile." Smoker warned before he ever crossed the threshold of the gate

"You're welcome to try, White Hunter. Just focus on the task at hand." Crocodile encouraged with a smirk.

"Now Smokey, calm down, Luffy didn't know what he was do-" Bellemere stepped out in front of everyone to try and preempt a fight, but she was quickly silenced with an arm of smirk and a quick sling to the side.

"Bellemere. You are a disgrace to the marines for defending this pirate, and I will see you all brought to justice!" Smoker drew his weapon and charged the boy, prompting the entire crew to split for cover, and Luffy to dodge as deftly as he could, which did turn out to be well enough now that he wasn't being ambushed.

"Mom!" Nami cried as she rushed to her mother, wanting to assure her safety.

"You bastard!" Luffy screamed as he tried to retaliate but found that his punches were useless on the strange man, as his body shifted to smoke.

Within moments the room was a chaotic battleground of smoke and destroyed furniture. The two were bouncing around the room like a rubber ball and created the perfect distraction.

"Miss All Sunday, I believe we have unfinished business." Crocodile said as he materialized behind the woman, covering her mouth with his hand and pressing his hook into her stomach. "You didn't think I'd stop the plan, did you?" He gloated as he backed his way up the stairs with her in tow.

"God! Dammit! Why can't I hit you?!" Luffy yelled in frustration as he kept trying and trying to fight fairly.

"I'm a Logia you filthy monster. Have you forgotten that already?!" The perceived insult only fueled the rage boiling inside the marine, making him sloppier in his accuracy, but strike much more violently.

"Stop! Stop fighting! Crocodile is the enemy here! We have to stop him!" Vivi screamed at the two, trying to make them realize the need to focus on the common enemy.

* * *

While the two hot-headed Logias fought in the expansive underground VIP area, Crocodile slipped out with Robin in tow, keeping a tight grip on her arm as they surfed across the desert with a specialty sand technique Crocodile mastered years ago, practically surfing on the sands. "You'll be happy to know Operation Utopia is underway, Miss All Sunday." Crocodile said, confident as ever now that he had her away from the Straw Hat Pirates.

"Is that why you felt the need to snatch me away rather simply telling me it was time to go?" Robin said, acting under the guise of a still loyal operative. "It was rather difficult to get away without a proper distraction, which you provided."

Crocodile's piercing stare was unable to crack the stone-cold woman, which made him at least superficially revert to the professional bond they shared. "Well, due to the time you've spent unable to check in, I had to take a huge risk. The rebels have been supplied, and the king was impersonated. Soon, Alubarna will be at war with itself, and we will finally complete our goal."

"Good. You haven't forgotten that we share a mutual goal." Robin said, wanting to keep herself alive as long as possible. Crocodile was paranoid when everything was going his way, let alone when something went wrong.

* * *

"Dammit! This has all gone wrong! Luffy, he's gone!" Bellemere screamed at him over the booming sound of bodies colliding with walls, threatening to bring everything crumbling down.

"What? Dammit! We have to- Ugh. Would you knock it the hell off already?!" Luffy let out an angry scream as he pushed back against the ravenous marine. Having been taken by surprise once, he knew the trick to fighting him was to keep the arm with that weapon pinned back as much as possible. And even though he couldn't remember his first fight with him, muscle memory played a big part in picking up on the locking in un-transformed parts of his body for strikes.

"I will not rest until Justice is done!" Smoker cried back, headbutting the boy down to the floor, keeping himself suspended with his smoke powers. "I've always had a bad feeling about Crocodile. He always seemed like he was playing the marines, and I was right. After I beat you to a pulp, I'll go stop him and prove myself to everyone."

"Grrr. I don't know what your deal is, but can't you at least postpone this till after we stop him?! Vivi's country is at stake!" Luffy yelled, rubbing his goose-egged head from where he got that unexpected headbutt.

"It needs to be soon! He took Robin, so he must be going to the capitol!" Vivi tried once more to convince the two to join forces, but it drove a wedge between them she couldn't see coming.

"What?! We have to save her!" Luffy said, getting up and pushing the knot in, which couldn't be healthy. He had made a promise to keep her safe if she joined and helped them, and he wasn't about to break it.

"Save her?! So, you've gone so far as to ally yourself with a wanted criminal the likes of the Devil's Child?! I will wipe your evil from this Earth!" With that line crossed Smoker launched himself with a burst of smoke and murder in his eyes.

* * *

"Not a chance." Zoro stated dully to Galdino, who was trying his best to plead with them.

"But I'll never last in prison! Do you know what they do to people like me? Wait, don't tell me! Just let me go so I'll never find out!" Galdino's great schemes and ideas were, well, useless now. Even his power which could prove useful in undoing his ordinary, non-power dampening shackles would be useless. Since the somehow even less kind hostage taker, as he saw him, made it very clear that his quite scary gun could be used much faster than he could manage to escape.

"Quit your whining! If anything, you should be the only one getting dragged off to prison. Why don't you two gentlemen let me, and Grace go, huh?" Valerie asked, turning on a bit of charm. She detested trying to flirt her way out of things but seeing as no one had been able to make a chocolate cake so good it literally kept you out of prison, it's what she needed to rely on. Add to that the ever-growing fear that she really couldn't get out of this and, well, she was starting to panic.

"The little girl isn't going to prison." Tashigi corrected, looking down to the girl as they all marched through the streets. Her marine jacket kept too many people from questioning the handcuffed people, and those who did only did so in passing because of how odd it was she was the only one escorting them all. "She's likely been coerced or forced into this criminal organization and will be taken care of until her parents or guardians can be located."

"And the damsel in distress act won't work on us. There's a reason we didn't bring along the cook." Zoro commented with a smirk, knowing Sanji would never have been able to resist so much as a please from this trained assassin to be let go.

"You should be thanking us for taking you in at all. Prisoners don't typically get released for nothing, especially with all their fingers and toes." Gin added, mainly to mess with them. He still didn't enjoy how everyone treated pirating like child's play. Sure, when it came to a fight everyone was above and beyond what he expected. But it was as if none of them had actually learned what pirates did before sailing out.

The two noisy captives gulped and looked at their hands, quieting down to silence for the time being. They kept their pace until they rounded the corner they were told led down to the marine base. That's when all three former employees stopped dead in their tracks and shook, leaving the other three to look confused at them. "Now's not the time to play dead weight. Move it before we move it for you!" Zoro yelled, thinking this was a last ditch effort to avoid being hauled away.

"M-M-M-M-M-M" The two grown agents kept muttering M's as they stared straight ahead. It wasn't until Zoro, Gin, and Tashigi turned and saw two strangers taking up the middle of the street that the duo broke the sputtering and screamed, each one their own response. "Mr. One!" "Miss Doublefinger!"

The two strangers were by far the most uniquely dressed individuals in the entire city, and that was saying something for a city based around a literal oasis dedicated to vice. The man was extremely tall, with disproportionately long arms, a muscled physique, tanned skin, a shaved head, a unibrow of all things, and indeed a Japanese symbol for one tattooed on his chest. This combined with the open robe and beige pants tucked into bandages gave him the appearance of a samurai who had given up on his wardrobe.

The woman was roughly average in height, with her big blue curly hair making her appear a bit taller. Not that the blue hair would be what was most on display about this stranger. Indeed, her attire rivaled the amount of skin shown by the man wearing no shirt whatsoever. An open long-sleeved half jacket and a spider-webbed themed bikini were all that covered the woman's upper body, and her lower body was clad in low-riding pants which hugged her hips, and platform sandals for added height.

"Hey Zoro. Bet you fifty belli the guy is Mr. One" Gin said with a snicker, trying to play off how tired he was. He knew this wouldn't go well. That they should've just executed the prisoners or let them free, not actually do something about them.

"I know my luck. He'd introduce himself as his real name and I'd owe you money too." Zoro said, stepping around and putting a hand on his sword. "I'm guessing you two are here to kill us. Or kill them. Either way, you're not killing anyone." He stated matter-of-factly, hand on his sword as a signal of proof to that affect.

"Do you think we'll get a challenge out of them?" The bald stranger asked as he cracked his knuckles.

"Does the boss ever give us a challenge? Just remember his instructions. No survivors, no witnesses." She said, making sure he didn't leave anyone alive.

"You were the one who said a punch was enough." He corrected her, walking ahead, sizing up the targets. Creating a list in his head of who to attack first. Since their former agents had managed to all be captured, they were obviously the easy targets.

"I just knew him stumbling out there injured would play better." She lied, having just wanted to avoid killing a kid if possible.

"Mr. One! Miss Doublefinger! You pirates are in for it now. No one has beaten those two!" Galdino cheered, thinking that they were sent on a rescue mission for the smartest agent in Baroque Works!

"Steel and Spike." Zoro said, sighing a bit as he drew his sword. Remembering the briefing as best as he could about these two. The bald guy was, according to Robin, not able to be beaten by any of them but Luffy. Where as the blue haired chick was just a challenge.

"Let me guess, you want the guy who doesn't know how to close his robe?" Gin asked with a little smile, finally happy he can get in a real fight again.

"Have you been hanging around the cook so often you can't help but fight the girl?" Zoro responded, unable to help but cross blades with his crewmate before actually fighting.

"Umm. Boys. They're getting ready to kill us." Tashigi pointed out now that the two assassins were marching their way down towards them. Mr. One had his arms slightly out from his hips, fingers spread apart. Miss Double Finger was swaying her hips like a runway model, hands on her hips to help exaggerate the movement. "Give me back my sword." Tashigi demanded, not wanting to be disarmed if she had to fight, or without her sword if she had to take them all the way back to the marine base here on her own while they held them off.

"No. Just stay back while we handle this." Zoro said, putting on his bandana. He knew holding back would get him killed, so he was ready for a challenge.

"You kill the weaklings, I'll handle their 'guardians.'" Mr. One said, keeping his calm demeanor as he focused on the green haired swordsman and the dark eyed tonfa user, planning to wipe them out rather quickly.

"Hmph. Not going to even let me have any fun…" Miss Double Finger said, spreading away from Mr. One so she could rush past and eliminate the captives.

"Do you think Luffy can stop him in time?" Kaya asked, curious as to how Sanji was feeling as they sat on the outskirts of the Casino, observing it as if they were tourists who weren't sure they wanted to head inside.

"If he doesn't act like an idiot, yeah. Moron has the uncanniest ability to lose focus I've ever seen." Sanji said, upset that he wasn't there to make sure he stayed focused. Vivi's entire country rested on this, and he didn't want the collapse of a nation to be on their hands.

"I think you don't give him enough credit. He can be a little… wild, but he directs it well enough to not fail at what he wants to accomplish. So, don't be so harsh." Kaya said, trying to stand up to the meanness she perceived coming from Sanji.

Sanji sighed and pulled out a fresh cigarette to kill the time. "I can't say no to such a sweet face. But I expect him to meet me half way and not act like such an idiot."

* * *

"You god damn idiot! Stop fighting him already and let's go!" Nami yelled, impatient that Luffy was wasting time now. He could end this in an instant, either by knockout or… a more permanent solution.

"That's not giving him a chance!" Luffy yelled, angry by the implication. He didn't know this guy, or why the hell he had a beef with him, but he was a good fighter, and that meant fighting him with all he had, or dying. Killing him just because there was a chance he could lose was too cowardly to consider.

"Well if you don't swallow your pride millions of people are going to!" Nami paused when she saw it. Her eyes had been following the battle across the giant arena of a room, and now were stuck on a ticking timer, connected to a string of explosives placed throughout the room. "die…"

* * *

I would like to say, I'm sorry to you all for the wait and many thanks to those of you who have stuck with it this long. Now, on to the reviews!

Tanequin- While your understanding of the archetypes are partially accurate, the issue relies in what a Logia lets a person do. They can both become and create their particular element. The best examples are of course Galdino and Luffy. Galdino can create wax, Luffy is rubber. If Luffy could create rubber or Galdino could become wax, they would be Rubber and Wax Logias respectively. Same with Magellan and his poison.

Noxenrom- *Womp womp womp wommmmmp*

Will28- I can say that I haven't quite thought of the recruitment of anyone there yet. CP9 has potential, but Moria and Thriller Bark in general... Well, it's not my favorite so I'm not sure what I'll be bringing out of it, but I know I'll be putting some interesting things in it!

Gingerflame17- I know I've already answered this, but I'd like to answer for everyone to know. 1) Luffy's fighting style is very much reflective of his personality. He's a brawler at heart. He grew up with Garp and Ace as his biggest influences, so he wouldn't do any crazy Logia things normally. 2) In short. More lemons are coming.

TheRageGamer- Thank you, and dammit! You're right. I should work more on the relationships. Don't worry, when things die down action wise (end of this arc) we'll be seeing more fleshed out relationships.

That's about it for what needs to be addressed publicly. Any new ones I may add on in the form of an edit, since I doubt another chapter is coming for a while.


	21. Smoking Blood! A Race Across the Desert!

Nami could feel her limbs locking up and refusing to follow the most basic of instructions. Run. Scream. She couldn't do anything but stare, wide-eyed at the hundreds of pounds of explosives set up all around them.

Bellemere and Usopp saw Nami frozen in fear and rushed to her, trying to pull her out of harm's way. "Nami come on! They're not going to stop anytime soon! We need to get out of here!" Usopp pleaded, trying to get Nami to lift her legs and run, something he was so good at.

Bellemere was able to move her, but she still wouldn't actually walk. Finally, she asked, "Nami what's wrong with…" Bellemere stopped midsentence when her question was answered for her. She traced her line of sight and found the same terrible view. Death all around them. "We have to get out of here, now!" Bellemere screamed, dragging her daughter out towards the exit with her.

No one else questioned the decision. The bossy marine woman said jump and they were too busy getting in the air to ask how high. Everyone followed her and Nami towards the stairwell but stopped when they realized something. Luffy wasn't following. "Luffy! Come on! We gotta go!" Usopp yelled, voice quivering from fear.

Luffy wasn't refusing to follow for lack of care. Smoker was not giving him an inch, and he didn't want to get near them and risk them being hurt. They were fighting with their all and stalemated. A downside of being practically invincible he didn't expect, he wasn't the only one. "I can't, dammit! He wants to kill me for some reason!" Luffy screamed, managing to land a couple of good blows and absorb a decent amount of blood in hopes of wearing him down so they could all get out.

"Some reason?!" Smoker screamed as he slammed his Jinte down with all his strength on Luffy's arm, sending him spinning violently to the floor. "You damn animal. Have you already forgotten their lives?!" Smoker was boiling with rage. His men had been powerless against Luffy back in Loguetown. They had been massacred under his watch, his protection. If they didn't die they were left with horrible burns, with ruined lives. Smoker believed Luffy saw this as a casual occurrence, which filled Smoker with rage.

"Gah!" Luffy screamed and he felt his side slam into the concrete and embed into it a good foot. His arm was heavily damaged from that blow, and he felt dizzy from the landing. He pushed himself up and straightened his hat, staring at Smoker as he landed. "What the hell. Did I do." He panted, the wind knocked out of him.

Smoker didn't answer, he didn't see the point anymore. This boy didn't understand, he couldn't. He obviously didn't care about human life. "White Out." With his free hand Smoker cloaked Luffy in a blanket of smoke that quickly harden into a solid form, trapping him there with only his head out. A head he intended to bust like a watermelon.

"Smoker! This place is going blow! We have to clear out the Casino!" Bellemere yelled, trying to get him to convert his attention on protecting innocent lives rather than punishing wicked ones.

"Of who? People, who go to a Casino run by a pirate? Let them fall with this accursed place." Smoker could hold sympathy for no one until his goal was accomplished. He had to eradicate this evil before he could see any good in the world. He was truly broken by the fight with Luffy, ad he could only be fixed this way.

"You. You'd let all those innocent people die?" Luffy asked, trying to fight the pain pulsing through his body from the savagery of the blows. His heart pounding with rage, circulating blood and healing him from within.

"You know nothing of innocence. You slaughtered my men like animals you damn demon!" Smoker hoisted his Jinte high, ready to crack Luffy's skull and get his revenge.

"Demon." Luffy was at his limit. He was being called horrible things by someone who swore to protect the innocent. He had fought many marines, there was no love lost when they crossed paths, but he hated ones who acted this way. Selfish and uncaring. "If I'm a Demon, so be it! Leech!"

Smoker slammed his weapon down, crashing deep down into the concrete and being rewarded with a spray of blood. He felt a moment of peace and clarity before it was savagely ripped away by the plunging of several tendrils throughout his body, causing him to scream violently as his limbs convulsed.

The spray of blood was a countermeasure Luffy threw up as he slinked out from the smoke prison. The dense smoke was incapable of holding in place someone who could shift form, so he slithered right out then launched his counter-attack. Smoker let his guard down by failing to trap him, so this was just the conclusion of a fair fight. The tendrils Luffy let out were acting like oversized leeches, draining smoker of his blood, and thus his ability to fight. "If being a Demon means protecting my friends…"

Smoker was slung into the air, being held entirely by the blood tentacles spurting from Luffy's back like unholy appendages, being drained and speared. "…and saving this country, then fine." With that, Luffy dropped Smoker from the roof of the room down to the ground. "Go warn everyone! I have to save Robin and stop that gator guy!" Luffy yelled to his friends as he rushed towards the exit with them, entrusting them to get everyone out of the casino.

Nami, Usopp, and Alvida rushed out and started running around to the entrance, aware of the time constraint and the need to rush.

Vivi was intent on going with Luffy to rescue her home, but Bellemere had to stop Luffy in his tracks. "Luffy, you can't leave him in there," Bellemere commanded, holding his arm to keep him from running off.

Luffy couldn't believe his ears. His eyes were wide and filled with rage. "He tried to kill me. To kill all of us. For nothing!" He pulled his arm away, intent on leaving this pointless argument to hunt down Crocodile.

"Not for nothing! That was Smoker. That was. That was the captain Tashigi told you about. The one you attacked when you couldn't remember anything." Bellemere was panting by the end of it, she spoke with such passion. She knew what kind of grief losing someone could cause a marine, especially one who's high strung. She may not have the same respect she once had after years of Arlong's rule and the marine's blind eye to the suffering, but she knew good marines could do bad things.

Luffy's eyes normalized upon hearing this. The rage that was bubbling on the surface was being squelched down by the new information, and his normal-self forced its way out and made him rush back in. "Dammit! Why didn't you say so before!"

"I tried you jerk!" Bellemere yelled at him as he rushed back into the casino basement. She felt a headache coming on from his nonsense. After that subsided she grabbed Vivi by the arm and led her farther away from the casino just in case. "What the hell got into him?" She questioned, worried about Luffy's sudden anger.

"I don't know. He was fine until he started fighting him. Do you think it's because he was a mari-" Vivi promptly shut her mouth and put up her hands in defence, not meaning to anger the ex-marine, though she didn't know Bellemere wasn't offended.

"I think you're on to something. Not the marine part though…" Bellemere couldn't help but think about that little observation. He got utterly savage during fights. That could have scary results.

But for now, the scariest results would be from the hundreds of pounds of explosives underneath a crowded casino. Usopp and Nami had played the roles of terrified, loud casino goers yelling that there was a bomb in the building. And then, when the casino staff tried to calm everyone down, Alvida was the one to take it a step further and started starting real, tangible, visible fires that no one could deny the presence of. It was certainly the pirate's way of clearing a building. Though the irony in the fact that they were burning the place down to save the people inside was not lost.

Underneath the Casino, Smoker lied in a pool of his own blood. He tried to shift back into smoke, but it was a non-starter. When it was just a few punctures, he worked around it by filling the holes with solidified smoke to keep his lungs from filling with blood. Smoke was intangible enough to expand when he breathed, so he was able to heal with a combination of time and medical treatment. "I. Failed." He coughed out, vision blurring as he felt the warmth drain from his body.

"To be fair, it was rigged from the start," Luffy said, manipulating the blood back into Smoker's body as he picked him up and put him on his shoulder, rushing as fast as he could without hurting him. "I wasn't going to let you beat me again. Not when Vivi's country is on the line. But I do owe you an apology."

"Put. Me. Down." Smoker said, reaching for his jinte in an effort to immobilize and subdue Luffy, even at the cost of his own life. But after he started, he couldn't move his arms, so he vented more anger. "I won't. Accept. Your apology. For doing this to me."

"It's not for this. It's for back in the East Blue." Luffy said, now needing to focus on restraining his arms in conjunction with getting him blood back before it became unusable. "I still don't remember what happened, but Bellemere told me. You should know that Tashigi isn't dead. She's actually here." Luffy hoped that last bit of information would carry more weight than the apology.

Luckily, it did. Though not in quite the right fashion. "What have you done with her? I swear if you sick monsters tortured her I'll. I'll…" With Luffy's power smoker was able to speak in whole sentences again, but even with all his bubbling rage, he couldn't fight.

"She's fine, you damn hot-head," Bellemere said, taking Smoker off Luffy's shoulder and field bandaging a few wounds. "You two. Go. I can handle Smokey." Bellemere assured, taking his signature weapon from his back for the time being.

"Got it. Come on Vivi!" Luffy yelled, taking her by the arm and rushing off in the direction they came originally, needing to cross over the river again to get back to the city.

"You. Of all people, I would never have expected you to become a pirate." Smoker said, staring up at his former commander.

"Yeah well, I would never have expected to see the marines turn into what they did. Things change Smokey. I owe a lot to Luffy for what he did for us, so if being a pirate is a way to repay him I'll do it." Bellemere responded, tearing off another bit of fabric to tie off a wound.

"You were there. You saw what he did. He's a monster." Smoker couldn't believe she owed anyone like that a damn thing.

"He's a young man, not a monster, and you saw what happened the same as I did. You're just ignoring it. He had no idea what he was doing. Since then he's been keeping your subordinate safe, fed, and has been trying to get her back to you." Bellemere stood up, watching in the distance as the explosives below the casino began to detonate, and the entire thing began to crumble. "I don't know what kind of Justice you're after, Smokey, but just remember this. If you only see black and white, you won't notice all the red on your hands." With that she dropped his jinte on him, the Seastone tip resting on his side and making him too weak to get up and chase after her.

* * *

"Dammit!" Zoro screamed in his head as he was pushed back by the onslaught. His bladed body was giving him a wide variety of moves he seemed to be combining with martial arts training to act as a cross between an unarmed fighter and a swordsman. 'If he keeps this up I'm dead.'

"You didn't think I'd let you distract me with your body, did you?" Gin asked, slowly 'revving' his tonfa for another heavy blow.

"No reason to not give every trick a try when you're trying to take down a target." Double Finger taunted, putting her hands on her hips and staring him down. "After all, I have a lot of loose ends to tie here." She pointed out, staring at the people behind Gin, who was now the primary defender since Zoro's fight involved throwing buildings and razor-sharp wind slices that would certainly get them killed.

"Unless one of them is a noose, you're out of luck." Gin commented, then craned his head down just enough to get the glare from the sun out of his eyes. Then he kicked off and launched at the blue-haired woman, tonfa ready for another strike, this time not one overhead into a spikey afro.

Double-finger jumped out of the limited range of Gin's attack, her own speed on par with the demon's from experience as an assassin. Once she got out of his attack range, she countered with a spiked toe kick, nicking the man's leg, tearing out a portion with the puncture. "Hanging isn't the most effective method, or haven't you noticed how we've switched to beheadings and firing squads? Destroy the brain, or fill them with holes." She smiled as she said the latter, turning her fingers to spikes.

Gin's leg may have been torn into, but he had already begun ignoring things like pain. This devilish mindset took double-finger off guard when he was able to so quickly recover and attack again, this time with his tonfa's outstretched and acting as a closing maw.

"Psst. Now's our chance." Galdino whispered to the others, wanting to get them to help with the plan. "If we team up with the first team to take out these pirates, we'll be free from their custody, avoid prison, and prove our worth to the company!"

Valerie was not on board with this plan. She was just high enough to be aware of how expendable they all were to the company, and apparently the only one paying attention. "We're not worth anything to them anymore. If they lose, we're as good as dead." She explained, trying to get it through Galdino's thick skull that he no longer had protection from a shadow company. That he was a target, same as they were. He just couldn't get past being expendable.

"Yes but. If we help. Goldenweek surely you agree with me? Mr. 0 has always appreciated our work." Galdino tried to seek the aid of his partner in this matter.

Gracie wasn't anywhere close to agreeing. She was gripping Valerie's hand now for support. "They'll kill us…" She said somberly, watching the fighting. She didn't have anything to calm her nerves and hadn't painted since they were captured, so she was losing her stoic cover.

Galdino began to shake as he looked at his child partner. He had worked with her for quite some time and had never seen her so shaken, even after her first assignment. "Than what do we do?"

Tashigi had already provided an example of what to do. Seeing Zoro as the one truly struggling, she rushed in to provide aid. He still had her sword on his hip. If she could get it from him, she could be helpful.

"I warned you. No swordsman can beat me." Mr. One taunted stoically, bearing down his bladed fingers onto Zoro's swords, pushing down with ease thanks to the natural movement.

"I'm no ordinary swordsman." Zoro countered, keeping his spirits up as he struggled to deflect the blows. "I've been looking. For something to push me beyond. So, I feel sorry for you." Zoro smirked, feeling a surge of confidence when he noticed the twitch in the assassin's eye. He was getting under his iron skin.

"Your sympathy is with the wrong person, Swordsman." Mr. One commented, keeping his face blank as he changed his strategy. He noted the blue-haired woman that was amongst the members of the hit-list was charging up behind his opponent. Easy target.

Before Zoro could offer his own response, he was forced to turn from the terrifying drill-like attack swinging at his side. It was then that he noticed Tashigi running to join the fray, and his eyes widen. She was unarmed and too inexperienced for this fight.

"Zoro! Give me back my sword! I can help!" She yelled, hoping to make this Devil Fruit user fight on two fronts. Divide and Conquer was the best way to deal with an overwhelming enemy. If it was just one, then you needed to keep the attention split.

"Rule One. Eliminate the weak." Mr. One said to the swordsman before turning and charging the unarmed marine, shifting his arm to a single blade.

Zoro's feet moved before his mind, something he couldn't be happier about in that moment. He saw the defenceless Tashigi and sheathed the bloodthirsty Kitetsu and drew her sword, Meito Shigure. With all his strength he leapt at the back of the charging Iron Man. There was little chance an attack like this would work, but it could get him away. "Crab Seize!" He clamped the three swords on the bald man's neck, and in a moment twisted his entire body, tossing him through a nearby building.

Tashigi was left frozen, panting in fear as she got past the initial shock. Zoro was lying on the ground just a few feet in front of her. A sign of just how close her would be murderer was.

Zoro held up her sword for her, panting and smiling. "Take. That. You bald bastard." He said through the sword still in his mouth, looking over towards the building he tossed the man into.

Mr One climbed from the rubble unharmed but did crack his neck menacingly. "Your tongue is sharper than your swords."

* * *

"Luffy. Are you sure they'll be alright? If Crocodile knew we were coming, he must've had backup plans." Vivi reasoned, her concerns split between her friends, father, and country.

"They can handle themselves. Have faith in them. We need to worry about Crocodile. Where would he be going?" Luffy asked, practically carrying the princess as he ran through across the desert an unbelievable speed.

"I can only imagine he's heading to the capitol. But we'll never catch up! He can travel across the desert faster than anyone!" Vivi tried to reason to Luffy that they needed to head back and get a more reliable form of transportation.

"Like hell, I'm letting him get away!" Luffy yelled, going from practically carrying the princess to carrying her as he stopped restraining himself. He was using every trick he had learned through his decade of devil fruit use to ensure he was the fastest he could be.

* * *

"You couldn't have thought I didn't have other plans." Crocodile commented as he stepped off the turtle he had waiting to cross the river, then restarted his half-logia travel form to continue the desert crossing.

Robin remained stoic to the statement. She had questioned what he had changed due to the delay in her return. She needed to know what key components had changed since she was last in contact. "Of course not. But I know you can't complete the final stage without me. So, what would you have done if those pirates had taken my life?"

"Tsk. You aren't stupid enough to let a lowly pirate take your life. However, I had to alter plans from your delay. The bombing has been called off. It required timing we didn't have. Mr Two will be ready to take over as either the King or the Rebel leader, whichever side ends up winning our little war. Should we have had to stall for time, we could've been running this country for a good deal of time before anyone found out."

"Did you think I would be gone for that long?" Robin asked, concerned with the lengths to which Crocodile would go to assure he could get the weapon. He had already planned to wipe out the country, but to take control and run it from the shadows? That was long-term even for him.

"As I said, I knew you wouldn't be killed. I'm sure you could have found a way to prove your usefulness. After all, you're good at keeping yourself alive no matter the cost. Right, Nico Robin?" Crocodile's cold, sadistic smile was only made worse by his steely stare and jagged stitching.

Robin kept her eyes off Crocodile as much as she could. His very presence was making her skin crawl. She wanted to snap every bone in his body, but she was frighteningly aware of her inability to fight him if things went against her. Besides, it wasn't the first time someone had suggested such a thing.

Miss Double Finger was doubled over, clenching her stomach and fighting the blood rushing up her throat and into her hand. Her fighting style was best suited for quickly and quietly taking out an unsuspecting opponent. Direct conflict with powerful enemies was for Mr One. She had been expecting this to be one of the former variety, but her bruises internal bleeding offered a different story. "Dammit. You're stronger than you look." She offered some praise, surprised by Gin's strength.

"And you're pretty damn clever." Gin complimented, thinking of the wounds he had sustained through surprise attacks and clever tricks. "But you unfortunately already lost."

Double Finger pulled herself upright, wiping the blood from her mouth and staring him down. "Oh? How do you figure?" She asked with a smile as if she hadn't taken a massive hit to the gut moments before.

"That's simple." Gin holstered his weapons on his back and squatted down. When he arose, he was wielding the trusty double barrel he kept at his ankle. "I brought a gun."

Miss Doublefinger's eyes widened, seeing that as a dirtier trick than any she had pulled. She had no defence against firearms. Her spikes were impressive. They were even hardened enough to resist blows. But her spikes would funnel back down to a perfect opening for a bullet, let alone the many that the gun would fire. "Have you no shame? Needing a gun to win a fight against a woman?"

"I could shoot you in the back and sleep perfectly fine. Just like you could if the tables were turned." Gin said, a smile almost creeping on his face. "Strike when they're weak. Don't think of them as people. There are no restrictions…" Gin could feel the years of experience under Krieg, his teachings, surface up. The straw hats taught him that those rules weren't always to be followed, but there was no getting rid of that completely.

Miss Doublefinger put her hands up, realizing that there was no way to fight now without being shot. "Are you an assassin as well? Picked up by these pirates?" Those procedures he seemed regurgitate from nowhere were eerily similar to the type of things she had picked up over the years. She was still human and wasn't beyond feeling for people. But an enemy or target couldn't expect mercy.

"Worse. I'm a man-demon. Now turn around and start walking. We have to check on my friend." Gin ordered her, knowing he couldn't get close enough to do anything like bind her hands without risking a surprise attack.

* * *

While Gin was busy avoiding surprise attacks, Usopp was busy being the victim of one. "Gah-ha! Get me out of here!" Usopp screamed like a maniac as he gripped at the ground around him. He had suddenly sunk a good three feet down into a localized sinkhole, and it scared the hell out of him.

"Hold on you big scaredy cat. We got you." Alvida said, extending a hand to pull him up. When he took it and his hand slipped off, she laughed. "You fell for it!" She screamed, delighted in her own joke.

"Dammit, that isn't funny!" He yelled, not the least bit amused by the woman's cruel joke. He had forgotten at the moment that she was so damn slippery. After that, he turned to Chopper for help.

"Come on. We've gotta get a move on before- Eyahh!" Chopper screamed as he pulled Usopp up, only to see a plume of fire roar up after him. The sudden explosion sent the two flying back, luckily out of harm's way.

The sudden explosion put everyone on their guard. The bombs from earlier were all put under the casino to ensure the World Government wouldn't trace anything back to Crocodile and simultaneously take care of them all. At least that was the main plan, but Crocodile was not one to rely on one option.

"What the hell was that?! It nearly killed me!" Usopp yelled, staring at his singed pants.

"It was another explosion, but where did it come from?" Chopper asked, looking around scared and confused.

"I expect this level of denseness from long nose but come on kid you're a doctor. What enemy do we know that uses explosions?" Alvida asked, drawing her mace and eyeing the surrounding, watching her footing.

"O-oh! Umm…" While chopper was busy remembering the enemy rundown Robin had given them on the ship, he was given a reminder in the form of a fastball headed right for him. This time Usopp returned the favor of saving him by tackling him to the ground, resulting in the ball soaring past then exploding.

"You stupid ba! You missed them!" Miss Merry Christmas, the vertically challenged mole-woman chastised her partner. Seeing it as an embarrassment to miss a target who didn't know they were there.

Her chastising, however, was the bigger mistake, as no one was sure where to look until her shrill voice pierced through the kicked-up sand and gave them a direction to look.

"The Fourth pair…" Alvida muttered, already annoyed by them.

"Hmph. So, you've heard about us already, ba! Then let's get right to the point. You've already lost. Mr Four! Let them have it!" Miss Merry Christmas ordered before digging down to create more tunnels and holes for them to work with.

"Laaaaaaaaassssssssssoooooooooo!" Mr Four called as he sunk into the extra wide sink-hole. Summoning the sickly dog-gun.

"What the hell is that! Chopper! Tell it we're friends or something!" Usopp yelled, frightened by the strange looking animal they had called to aid them in battle.

"What makes you think I can talk to it?! It freaks me out too!" Chopper yelled, trying to get it through Usopp's head that he couldn't just immediately convince animals they were friends.

"Are you two always this damn childish?! We're being attacked!" Alvida yelled, half-ready to attack them herself.

"She's right. Is now the time to argue?" Miss Merry Christmas asked, surfacing to grip onto Usopp's leg and drag him away from the much larger and more threatening Human-Point chopper.

"Gah! I'm sorry! Save the great captain Usopp!" Usopp pleaded, tears filling his goggles.

Alvida leaned against her mace, mouth puffed up in annoyance. "I think I should let you die for that one." She said in a half-serious tone.

"Alvida! Please! Don't joke around like that! Help ME!" Usopp cried out, terrified for his life.

* * *

Luffy's eyes were transfixed across the river they were currently crossing atop one of Alabasta's deadliest sea-creatures. A sandorian catfish. After realizing that everyone else would need the ship to properly cross and join them in the capital, Luffy had asked about any other means of transport. All it took was chumming the water with a large amount of human blood, which Luffy provided, they were able to hitch a ride on the creature. Much to its dismay.

"Luffy… Are you sure this is the best way to travel?" Vivi asked, looking down at the pained face of the giant creature.

"No. But we needed something, fast. You said yourself this thing eats people, so this should make it scared to hunt them and get us across at the same time. Win-win."

"I guess so…" Vivi resigned to sit back down and wait for them to cross. "We'll be over any minute now at this rate. Do you think we'll catch up with Crocodile in time?"

"I don't know. But I'm not going to stop until he pays for everything." Luffy said, clenching his fists. The catfish in turned swam even faster, trying to stop the reflexive manipulation put on his body by the boy.

"Thank you, Luffy," Vivi said, smiling up at him, despite the fact that he wasn't looking.

"You don't have to thank me. We're friends. He's hurt you, your country, and Robin. Anyone who hurts my friends like that is going to answer to me." Luffy saw the sandy shore approaching and squatted down. "Hold on to me." He told her, getting ready for a risky move to keep their speed up.

Vivi did as she was instructed, wrapping her arms around Luffy, unsure of the reasoning. That was until she noticed the catfish wasn't slowing down as they got closer to the shore. "Luffy? What are you doing?!" She screamed as the distance grew shorter and shorter.

Luffy smiled but didn't say a word. Moments before they would be crashing into the side the Catfish leaped out of the water towards the land. Whether it was of its own volition or Luffy's manipulation was up for debate, as soon after the blood of the enormous creature was forced from its body and continued on as a pseudo wave, on which Luffy and Vivi road on a solid plate. "Crocodile…" He muttered, eyes on the horizon as he used the anger to carry them on.

* * *

"What the hell are you doing?! Get out of here!" Zoro yelled through his sword as he held back the bald assassin with the assistance of Tashigi.

"I'm helping you!" She responded, almost as fiercely as he did. "It's my duty as a marine to arrest criminals, and this man is a danger to more people than you are!"

"Do you see swordsman? Even she recognizes it. You're no match for my strength." Mr One mocked, using his bladed fingers to push them both back with only a relatively light amount of strain.

"No! I mean that you're a merciless monster who will do nothing but slaughter!" Tashigi corrects, putting all her strength into pushing him back.

Zoro couldn't help but smile through the sword just a bit pushing a bit more with his legs. "That's nice and all, but seriously. Get the hell out of here before you get yourself killed." Zoro's voice was getting angrier, and his veins throbbed with intensity.

"I'm not a weakling! I will not be talked down to!" Tashigi pulled her sword back, entrusting Zoro to hold back the man while she made a quick slash at his leg, hoping to incapacitate him.

It was no use, however, as the blow was far from capable of injuring the steel-hard fighter. Taking advantage of the opportunity he swept his leg, nicking both of Zoro's and making him stumble back. "Should've taken his advice. You may have been able to run away by the time I killed him."

Zoro cursed as he rolled back and stood again, both legs slashed at the shin. The cuts were adding up. His clothing had almost completely changed color from the red spilling from his body. "Dammit, Tashigi. Get the hell out of here! I'll be damned if I let you die!" Zoro moved in front of the swordswoman to act as a shield. "You want to get swords out of the hands of evil, right? He's not a swordsman, so get out of here and live to follow that dream."

Tashigi kept her stance, staring at the green haired swordsman putting himself in harm's way for her. She couldn't believe he remembered something she had said while they were both drunk on Sake. Or at very least, while she was drunk. "D-don't die!" She yelled, realizing there was nothing she could do on her own. But if she could get the local marines and bring them here, they could help put a stop to this. It was a risky plan, but it beat certain death.

"Shame. You'll be letting her down." Mr One mocked as he sent Zoro flying back with a strong as steel punch to the gut. With Zoro injured and Tashigi on the retreat, he was capable of breaking through Zoro's defence with ease. "Be sure you watch, swordsman."

Zoro's body soared past Tashigi as she ran away. He hit a towering stone piece of décor meant to keep up the lavish appearance of the town. Before Tashigi could even react to what had happened, the tower crumbled, and debris began to fall. Giant sections of stone obscured her sight from the swordsman, burying and surely crushing him. "Zoro!" She screamed and rushed to try and pull away the rocks to save him.

"I will not fail in my mission. Plus, you've gotten in my way." Mr One called to Tashigi as he calmly approached, sure in his victory over the swordfighters.

"Zoro! Hang on! I'll-" Before Tashigi could finish proclaiming her promise to save him, she saw him walk step up on the rubble, climbing out. She was too dumbfounded by the fact that he wasn't crushed to speak.

Mr One gritted his teeth in anger. "Swordsman! How were you able to dodge that?!" It didn't make sense to him. Zoro was far too injured to properly dodge that much falling debris.

"I didn't," Zoro stated through clenched teeth as he began sheathing his swords. "I stood where they wouldn't fall." With that, he sheathed another sword and took his white-handled Wado in his hands. "I made a promise. That I wouldn't lose until I became the world's greatest swordsman." Zoro could feel the blood dripping from his mouth as he spoke, he couldn't grandstand for too long. "And, I'm responsible for Tashigi's safety. These are the reasons you've lost."

"Lying to yourself will only make your defeat worse. Remember your words as you drown in your own blood, swordsman." Mr. One declared as he stared down Zoro then charged him. "I'm still far beyond you."

Zoro didn't say a word. He simply took a breath and closed his eyes. He had been able to see where the rocks would fall. He felt it. Just as he felt everything around him. When he opened them again Mr One was only feet away, and he could feel him too. He felt exactly how to cut him as if he were any normal person.

This new ability that Zoro had taken Mr One by total surprise. He had swung both his bladed arms to decapitate the swordsman and end it, but he had effortless ducked and swung his sword too quick for him to properly follow with his eyes. He only felt the cut open several steps later. But when he did, he could almost feel his intestines moving towards the opening.

"How. How did you…" Mr One was stunned. Too stunned to feel the pain appropriate for his situation. It was one of the only times he'd bled in years, and it was surreal to see such a wound on himself at this point.

Zoro once more didn't answer. He merely sheathed his sword. He didn't owe the man an answer after that battle. One where he showed him no respect and only swore that he would win.

"What. What next? Diamonds?" Mr One asked, some real emotion in his voice now as he began to sweat. His power had just been checked and overtaken, and he was forced to accept this while on the verge of being disembowelled.

"I'm no jeweller. That would be a waste. I will be fine with cutting steel. So long as no one made of diamond challenges me." Zoro boasted his win and newfound skill over his fallen foe.

Tashigi slowly stepped forward, having dived away from the standoff to avoid getting in the way. She then stared in stunned silence as she witnessed the green haired pirate swordsman do something she hadn't considered possible. Slice through steel. Not only that but he saved her life. Either one of these would be worth admiring, together they were astounding. "Zoro? Are you alright?" She asked as she rushed to his side to try and administer basic first aid on his wounds.

Broken bones, more blood loss than any normal person should handle, internal bleeding and sand in his underwear. "I'm fine."

"If we fight someone like that, we're probably in over our heads." Gin called out as he approached with Miss Double Finger held up at gunpoint. "Though I've got to admit, you're reaching up there on your own. That archaeologist said to avoid fighting that guy, remember?" Gin asked the rhetorical question with a smirk, knowing full well what Zoro would say in response.

"Yeah. And she's not Luffy. I don't have to listen to listen to her. Besides, do you have any idea where the hell he is?" Zoro asked, turning to face him.

"Got an idea." Gin said, nodding his head towards the woman he was walking over. "Turns out even the higher-ups will talk if you offer the right price."

Paula, who finally gave her real name up when a gun was put to her head, spoke up. "It's simple bargaining. My life for enough information for you to run off and get yourselves killed elsewhere. Your captain is undoubtedly going after Mr Zero. Mr Zero has plans in the capital. That's all I'm going to say since I'm still looking to get out of this alive."

"Fantastic. All of this and we have to go the opposite direction." Zoro said, exhausted from his fight and not looking forward to the trip. "Well, we better hurry. No doubt Luffy has already headed that way then. Let's find the others if we can and get moving."

* * *

"GOD! DAMMIT! ANNOYING! BASTARDS!" Alvida screamed as she swung at the tunnels, in a game of the most annoying, and deadliest, whack-a-mole ever.

"You're much faster with your club than Mr Four, but you're nowhere near as strong!" Miss Merry Christmas gloated as he popped up and hit some more super-heavy baseball bombs their way.

Alvida swung with all her might, able to knock one of the balls back but falling victim to the other explosions caused by the other two. They weren't terribly damaging, but her slippery body couldn't protect her from explosions.

"Ha! Got you now you, ba!" Miss Merry Christmas called as she dug up and grabbed at Alvida's ankles when she landed, only to have her hands slip right off. "Wha?!" She screamed in shock, unaware of the woman's power.

Alvida, fueled by the anger of having her precious skin marred by an explosion, reached into the sand and pulled the old crone up by the hair. "You dusty old bitch!" She yelled, hoisting the woman up several feet off the ground, all the while she kicked and failed at scratching at Alvida's hand.

"Waaa! How are you so strong?!" The cry of fear rung out as the short old woman was slung around like some bolas. Before she could properly start crying for help she was slung towards her partner in crime like an oversized baseball.

"My beauty gives me strength, you ugly old crone," Alvida said, mainly to herself since Merry Christmas was most certainly out of earshot.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" Mr. Four cried out as his partner in crime hit him square in the face.

Alvida walked towards a stunned Usopp and Chopper, eyes burning with rage. Once she ate that devil fruit she thought that her beauty would be perpetual, and infallible. This was the second time she was met with something that could damage that beauty. First, she had to deal with burns, now explosions. "If either of you mentions these blemishes, I'll crush you." She said as she passed them, throwing her hair up proudly.

* * *

"Hmph. The Royal Palace. I'd enjoy using it as my own, but it would be impractical. The kingdom will return to sand, and the castle shall crumble and wither with it." Crocodile stated without an ounce of empathy for what his words meant for the people within that kingdom.

"Do you really plan on keeping this country as your own when you have enough power to challenge the government?" Robin asked, curious as to what his plans were after he got the location of this nefarious weapon.

"Are you suggesting I not? I've done well making this country my own from the shadows. I am without equal. I shall make the world bend to its knee before me, and sit atop my throne hear, where I have no equal."

" **CROOOOCOOOOODIIIIILEEEEE** " Luffy's scream rung throughout the open-air garden area which Crocodile and Robin had snuck into. Luffy's power had many uses; he could staunch bleeding, 'breathe' without the use of his lungs, circulate blood without his heart, and most importantly right now, since other people and roughly figure out who they were on shape. He had made it a habit to try and memorize his friend's rough shapes, and that included Robin. With the number of people in the vicinity, it helped immensely.

"It would seem I overestimated that government dog. You know what to do, Nico Robin. I'll take care of this brat while you fetch our King." Crocodile said, adjusting his coat for a quick fight. He had hoped to avoid a struggle given the time frame, but there was no avoiding it this time around. He'd just have to make it quick.

Luffy had launched himself up with a powerful jettison of blood in conjunction with his jump, shooting up the high, defensive structure in a single leap. He landed into a squat and then stood, fists clenched and ready to fight. "Where is she?"

The question was simple. Laughably so from Crocodile's position. "You came all this way for that woman? Pathetic lovesick brat." Crocodile said, running his hand over his hook as he stared the raven-haired boy down.

"I came here to kick your ass. Where is Robin?" Luffy was growing impatient. He was boiling over with rage after fighting smoker, at the way he nearly got him, and his friends, killed. But he had time to think, which made him angrier. He now knew how he made him feel, snatching away a friend when you couldn't stop it. The only difference was, Crocodile knew what he was doing. "She's my friend, and you're not going to hurt her."

"You're not just Pathetic, you're stupid. That woman has no friends." Crocodile's face curled into a smile for the first time in quite a while. He enjoyed crushing hopes and dreams of those too stupid or weak to realize them. "She used you to survive and threw you away when she was done. You shouldn't be surprised. You rookie pirates are nothing but trash!" Crocodile broke his calm, relaxed façade with a blast of sand, cutting away the ground and the railing behind Luffy.

Below, Vivi was running along the edge with all her might, praying that Luffy would be able to win against Crocodile. She needed to stop the soldiers of the kingdom and rebel army from confronting each other. She needed to prevent her people from losing their lives. She needed to do so many things that she could not do…

* * *

Man! This took a lot longer than expected, and for that, I apologize sincerely. I would like to thank all of you for sticking with me for this long. Thank you for the feedback, the support, and for generally reading. Especially since this is coming in on the fourth month anniversary of the last chapter. There isn't much to address in terms of responses that everyone should be aware of that I haven't stated at some point or can't answer at the moment, so I'll just leave this open. Till next time! (Hopefully sooner than 4 months...)


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